NFL playoffs betting advice: Eagles vs. Buccaneers pick and props

Steve Maltepes, known as “The Philly Godfather,” will impart his gambling wisdom on the Eagles and where the smart money is going on various pro football games each weekend this season. Maltepes is one of the nation’s hottest sports betting experts who appears weekly on national radio and has his own website, www.thephillygodfather.com [thephillygodfather.com].

Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8), 8:25 p.m. Monday

The Line: Eagles minus-3/Total: 44.5

What is the line telling you:

Originally, the Eagles opened as 2.5-point favorites, and now it is up to the key number of three, with the combined total set at 44.5. The betting public still does not think the Buccaneers are any good. In Las Vegas and offshore, 65-percent of the action is on the Eagles. When you take a deeper look at these teams this season, Baker Mayfield has better numbers than Jalen Hurts. He has been the better quarterback all year. The Buccaneers’ defense has been better than the Eagles, giving up 103 fewer points, and Tampa is rated higher than Philly in the turnover margin. Tampa has the better point differential. Going into this game, the Buccaneers are the healthier team with a plus-7 SIC health score over Philadelphia, along with the fact that Tampa Bay is home. Unless there is a magic turn-on switch, which the Philadelphia media keeps talking about, and there is no magic turn-one switch. Tampa Bay is better. Mayfield is a little banged up, but Hurts is more banged up. A.J. Brown may not be playing. Why would he play? There is a lot going on with the Eagles right now.

Bottom line: Take the Buccaneers and the points at home.

Eagles game props

Mike Evans anytime touchdown +105

Chris Godwin anytime touchdown +245

What is the line telling you:

The Eagles defense cannot stop anyone through the air.

AROUND THE NFL

Cleveland Browns (11-6) at Houston Texans (10-7), 4:30 p.m. Saturday

The Line: Browns minus-2.5/Total: 44.5

What is the line telling you:

This line originally opened with the Browns being 1.5-point favorites with the line set at 43.5. Since that, the Browns moved to 2.5 and the total has gone to 44.5. The betting public loves Joe Flacco and the Browns.

Bottom line: The Browns’ defense has not played well on the road, giving up around 30 points a game. It is a playoff game and expect the Browns’ defense to play better. The Texans have been a surprise team this season. They have a young gun slinger at quarterback. But when the Texans have stepped up against better competition, they have had trouble. We like the Browns on the moneyline at -140 and like how Joe Flacco is playing. He is putting up 28 points a game, while the young Texans are coming off a huge emotional win last week to get into the playoffs. The Browns should win, barring a major loss in the turnover battle.

(Betting lines are subject to change.)

The Philly Godfather can be followed on twitter @Phillygodfather [twitter.com] & his website is www.thephillygodfather.com [thephillygodfather.com]. Watch the best gambling show there is, The Sports Betting Show, 6 pm-8 pm ET live every Thursday available on Jakib YouTube, Action YouTube and Sirius XM channel 159.

Joseph Santoliquito is a hall of fame, award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who has written feature stories for SI.com, ESPN.com, NFL.com, MLB.com, Deadspin and The Philadelphia Daily News. In 2006, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for a special project piece for ESPN.com called “Love at First Beep.” He is most noted for his award-winning ESPN.com feature on high school wrestler A.J. Detwiler in February 2006, which appeared on SportsCenter. In 2015, he was elected president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.