NFL Divisional picks: Icebox Cake

Jim Vallet and Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

But I can tolerate the whammies of all these recent events because of icebox cake.

But, making icebox cake has become quite a chore. It always was time consuming because the maker has to coat each cookie with whipped cream on all sides, then use the whipped cream to adhere one cookie to the next. When all the cookies are in place, it is then necessary to coat all the sides and top with whipped cream before letting it sit in the refrigerator (known to my Grandma as the “icebox”) for 24 hours. For me, who did little to nothing except eat, the hardest part was waiting 24 hours. I must admit to cheating when I was younger and I discovered that waiting 24 hours was a really good idea.

This has not discouraged my indefatigable wife. When we lived in Overton, my wife would make the hour-and-a-half one way drive to Las Vegas to the only store in all of Southern Nevada that still carried Nabisco Bittersweet Chocolate Wafers. Since we have moved to Northern Nevada, the Smith’s in Lemmon Valley has been the only place in this area to procure my beloved cookies. But this year when my lifetime partner made her annual cookie pilgrimage, the store informed her that Nabisco had discontinued production completely.

And so, icebox cake has once again brought joy to my life. First, it was because of the taste that I fell in love with as a kid. Then, it became a symbol of good things like birthdays, coming home parties, engagement parties and graduations. Now, although I still love it, it is a clear sign of my wife’s love and all the hoops she is willing to jump through to make me happy.

Icebox cake has saved my sanity.

So, how does all this matter this coming weekend? Who really has a better defense, the Chiefs or the Texans? Do you trust Patrick Mahomes or CJ Stroud? Before you believe the Lions have solved their defensive woes from three weeks ago, take a look at the Vikings’ offense against the Rams. Were your eyes deceiving you when you thought Jalen Hurts didn’t look right, or was it rust? And is the Bills’ run defense as bad as many think in spite of their performance against the Broncos’ speed-of-sloth running backs?

This week is the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs. Historically, this round has been a very good round for bettors who bet favorites. Last week, Wild Card Weekend, historically has been good for underdogs and that proved true last week with underdogs winning 3 of 6 games, although all the pregame point spreads that the ‘dogs won were 3 points or less. There were no big (more than 7 point) underdogs that won or even covered the point spread. I guess you can make those facts mean whatever you want. 

Kansas City Chiefs (-8) vs. Houston Texans: The Chiefs have the best QB in the NFL. I also think they have a better defense, play better on special teams, and have better coaching. And home field advantage. Lay the points.

Los Angeles Rams

Baltimore Ravens (-1) at Buffalo Bills: The Ravens opened as 1 point underdogs, but apparently a lot of people are looking at this game like I am, and that is wondering how the Bills can possibly stop the Ravens’ running game. I don’t think they can, but I think Josh Allen will play great.

Last week 4-2

Happy Birthday, Jim! Enjoy that Icebox cake, and I likewise won't be betting the Commanders/Lions game, but I will join you in rooting for the Lions. I'm also hoping to break my streak of going 1-2 the last three weeks, and not with a zero in the first column.

Notre Dame (+8 ½) vs Ohio St.: This is not my strongest opinion of the season, but Notre Dame is 13-2 against the spread this season, 13-6-1 as an underdog since 2014 and covered the spread each of the past two seasons against Ohio St., both in very low-scoring games. The talent difference this year is narrower than it was the past two years, and Ohio St. has struggled the most against physical teams that can match up at the line of scrimmage. That’s where Notre Dame is best.

Eagles (-6) vs. Rams: Just for kicks, I asked Copilot, the AI assistant on Word, to write a pick on the Eagles, and this is what it churned out: Now, turning to another game, I recommend picking the Eagles to cover the spread. The Eagles have been strong contenders this season, showing consistent performance across both home and away games. Their defense has been particularly impressive, managing to contain several high-powered offenses. Additionally, their offense has been effective in exploiting weaknesses in their opponents' defenses, making them a reliable choice for this match-up.

Then I asked for a pick on the Rams, and it said: Despite the Eagles' impressive record, the Rams have shown a resilient spirit this season. With a solid defense that has managed to hold its own against top-tier teams, and an offense that has been gradually finding its rhythm, the Rams present a formidable challenge. Their ability to adapt and strategize in high-pressure situations makes them a strong contender to cover the spread in this game.

So instead of an irresistible force against an immovable object, we have a reliable choice against a strong contender. But what I see is a Philly defense that has been absolutely stifling, against a Rams offense that scored 19 points and only gained 242 yards against the Jets, and 12 points without a touchdown against the 49ers in their last two outdoor games. Now they face the league’s best defense with temperatures in the 30s and a forecast of 3-5 inches of snow. The Eagles should ride Saquan Barkley and their defense to a double-digit win.

Bills (+1) vs Ravens: I was disappointed to see there is no snow in the forecast Sunday in Buffalo, although the current forecast is for a temperature of 24 degrees at kickoff. Regardless, I’m going against the grain on this one. Buffalo’s defense is most vulnerable against high-powered passing attacks. The Ravens want to run like they did on Sept. 29 when they beat the Bills 35-10 with 199 yards rushing from Derrick Henry. Henry is capable of that at any time, but Buffalo improved steadily as the season went on. I think they’re still underrated, and I think they get it done at home.

Last week

College 0-0

NFL 1-2

Season

College 34-33

NFL 32-23-1