Stan Hey: 6-5 Against

Bullish about Steelers, bearish over Green Bay

Every now and then – once in a blue moon in my case – punters find themselves in a dilemma as an ante-post bet seems at the point of delivery, with only the small matter of a lay-off remaining.

As the NFL reaches the Conference Championships, two of our four pre-season picks are favourites to go through to the Super Bowl – Green Bay are 8-15 (Totesport) to win the NFC Title in Chicago, while Pittsburgh are the same price to win the AFC at home to the New York Jets.

The bets – £20 win Steelers at 10-1 and £10 each-way Packers at 10-1 – look good on paper but there's a clammy anxiety about them coming off.

The Jets have already taken out the Colts and the Patriots with their smothering defensive coverage, so the Steelers know that the Jets' head coach, Rex Ryan, will have a new box of tricks waiting.

The Steelers will impose their traditional running game and look to their star receiver, Mike Wallace, to get points. I could never lay the Steelers anyway so it's time for trust.

The Bears, however, are worth £10 at 17-10 with Boylesports, to stop the Packers – then again, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers looks the best QB around right now.

Also, £10 goes on Tiger Woods, who used to be the best, for his first win since December 2009, at his cherished Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open next week.

Another £10 goes on Solwhit (3-1 William Hill) to get his first win over Hurricane Fly since November 2009 in tomorrow's Irish Champion Hurdle.