NFL Divisional round preview

 Once again, we have proof positive that the oddsmakers in Las Vegas are slightly off this post-season. No, it's not because the Raiders flopped again. It's because they are ignorant of a little something called momentum.

As we'll see in the Divisional Playoffs this weekend, those so-called geniuses either will be proven right, or humiliated yet again.

Saturday:

Houston @ Baltimore (4:30 pm ET, ABC/ESPN): 

There's a reason sportscaster Ric Renner, when he worked in the 518 a few years ago, referred to Las Vegas as "Lost Wages". It's not just the gamblers putting their money on the line, it's the oddsmakers themselves. The first evidence we have is this meeting of the AFC North & South champions.

After Houston blew away Cleveland last Saturday, how could the dimbulbs running the sportsbooks be that disrespectful toward Houston yet again? They're again sleeping on Houston's rookie quarterback, CJ Stroud, who torched the Browns for nearly 300 yards. It's another veteran vs. young gun match, this time with Baltimore's Lamar Jackson as the veteran. Vegas is clearly hoping he doesn't end up like Cleveland's Joe Flacco or Dallas' Dak Prescott, and lay an egg.

No, what I see here is a likely track meet between the Texans & Ravens. Opening odds of 9 1/2 points in favor of the host Ravens is too big a number, in this writer's opinion. Yes, it's going to be cold in Baltimore, and they'll likely keep things on the ground, but that doesn't justify an oversized point spread.

Pick: Baltimore by 4.

Green Bay @ San Francisco (8:15 pm, Fox):

Again, the Vegas dimwits installed the NFC #1 seed, the 49ers, as a 9 1/2 point favorite. Did they not pay attention to the Packers' dismantling of Dallas on Sunday? Jordan Love had been an understudy to Aaron Rodgers before Rodgers took his anti-vax diatribes to New York, and further embarrassed himself. San Francisco's Brock Purdy is looking to make good after an injury-plagued finish to his rookie campaign.

Most experts think this all leads to a rematch in the Super Bowl between San Francisco & Baltimore, and these are the first steps in that direction.

Pick: San Francisco by 7.

Sunday:

Tampa Bay @ Detroit (3 pm, NBC):

Baker Mayfield has seen a career resurgence in Tampa Bay after being brought in to succeed Tom Brady. All of a sudden, coach Todd "Salad" Bowles doesn't look like a deer in the headlights as a head coach like he was with the Jests a few years ago.

The point spread is not as obscene as the two Saturday games, with Detroit favored by 6 1/2, but you don't know if Jared Goff can play two solid games in a row in the clutch. Tampa got hot at the right time. Goff wants to get back to the Super Bowl to make up for flopping with the Rams against Brady & New England a few years ago. After a hot start, Detroit has been on the see-saw the last few weeks. To borrow from "Forrest Gump", the Lions may not be a box of chocolates, but you don't know what you're going to get from one game to the next.

Pick: Tampa Bay.

Kansas City @ Buffalo (6:30 pm, CBS):

Bills fans have been waiting for this one ever since Josh Allen and the Bills lost to Kansas City in overtime two years ago. Overtime rules have since changed for the playoffs, ensuring that each team gets at least one possession, because sudden death isn't so fun for today's fans.

Buffalo has been, ah, buffeted with snow this week, and the Bills were forced to play on a Monday against Pittsburgh. That one less day of rest is going to come back to bite them. It won't be quite as cold in Orchard Park for the Chiefs as it was when they played in -30 temperatures last week at home, and they'll feel right at home.

Of course, there will likely be a pool on how many times CBS cameras pan to the visiting skyboxes, looking for Taylor Swift, so that should tell you what the league and/or its media partners would rather see moving into the conference title game.

Pick: Kansas City.

Of course, I could be wrong.