Sunday Picks

The NFL conference championships have finally arrived, with Philadelphia at Arizona and Baltimore at Pittsburgh. BetUs has the Eagles laying 3.5 with a total of 47 and Pittsburgh as a six-point chalk with a total of 34. There are some fantasy football betting odds for the sharpest players as well.

Here's a look in your Daily Sports Roundup.

The Gridiron Spotlight

The Ravens defense has allowed just 19 points so far over two playoff games, and they'll be looking to keep up that pressure on Sunday when they play on the road in Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game (6:30pm ET, CBS). Baltimore knocked off top-seeded Tennessee 13-10 on the road last weekend, thanks to one Joe Flacco touchdown pass and two Matt Stover field goals. Flacco went 11-of-22 for 161 yards passing in that contest, while Derrick Mason had the TD grab.

The Steelers started their playoff run with a bang last weekend, bouncing San Diego 35-24 at Heinz Field on the strength of Willie Parker's 146 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger went 17-of-26 for 181 yards through the air in that win, with one touchdown pass and no interceptions.

Division rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh met twice during the regular season, with the Steelers winning both times (23-20 at home in Week 4, and 13-9 on the road in Week 15). The oddsmakers like the Steelers' chances of getting a bigger win on Sunday, as they've been listed as a 6-point favorite with the total at 34 points.

The Eagles got past the defending-champion Giants 23-11 last weekend to advance to the NFC Championship Game on Sunday in Arizona (3:00pm ET, FOX). That win came despite sub-par performances from the team's top offensive weapons; Donovan McNabb went just 22-of-40 for 217 yards passing with one touchdown and two picks, while Brian Westbrook ran for just 36 yards.

The Cardinals have surprised most observers with two straight wins over the Falcons and Panthers to start the playoffs, scoring 63 points over the two games. Arizona went into Carolina and came out with a 33-13 win last weekend, with Kurt Warner going 21-of-32 for 220 yards passing with two TDs and one INT. Larry Fitzgerald had a monster game, with 166 yards receiving and one touchdown, while Edgerrin James ran for 57 yards and one score in the victory.

Despite beating the Panthers the Cardinals still find themselves pegged as 4-point home underdogs on Sunday (with the total at 47 points). The Eagles and Cardinals met in Philadelphia in a decidedly one-sided affair back in Week 13; McNabb threw for 260 yards and four touchdowns in that 48-20 Eagles victory.

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Sports Headlines

Jon Gruden is out as head coach of Tampa Bay replaced by Raheem Morris. Speculation has Gruden going to the Jets, Chiefs and even back to the Raiders…The Sony Open sees Tadd Fujikawa leading…Steve Spagnuolo is the new coach of the St. Louis Rams.

Other Notable Events

Evgeni Malkin and his Penguins will try for a win over the rival Rangers Sunday afternoon when the two teams meet at 12:30pm ET. Those clubs last met on January 5, with the Rangers rolling to an easy 4-0 home victory behind the goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist. There are three other games around the NHL on Sunday: Calgary at Colorado, Phoenix at Edmonton, and Columbus at Vancouver.

The Rest of the Schedule

The NBA has just two games on the schedule for Sunday, with Phoenix on the road in Toronto, and Oklahoma City hosting Miami. The better hoops matchups look like they'll be in the college ranks, with Seton Hall at No. 4 Connecticut and St. John's at No. 23 Villanova. Other ranked teams in action on Sunday: No. 15 Xavier vs. La Salle, No. 19 Purdue vs. Iowa, and No. 18 Minnesota vs. Northwestern.

A Peek at the Future

A holiday Monday features many NBA afternoon contests, including Dallas at Philadelphia, Denver at Houston, and San Antonio at Charlotte. As well, Phoenix will be in Boston and the Lakers will host Cleveland in the evening . . . there are two NHL matinees on Monday as well - Blues/Bruins, and Capitals/Islanders. Chicago will host Minnesota at night . . . college hoops action on Monday night will see Pittsburgh hosting Syracuse, while Kansas gets a visit from Texas A&M.

News Headlines

We will commandeer the television sets at the international headquarters of OffshoreInsiders.com to watch the inauguration coverage on multiple television sets but we will pass on the whistlestop tour for the tour of non-stop winners.