Weekend NFL Action
Football Playoffs
NFL fans were expecting a weekend of close matchups between teams that had fought through a 18-game gauntlet to get to the playoffs. What they wound up getting was games decided by two scores, and only one matchup that felt like it actually came down to the wire.
Only the Lions and Rams delivered a compelling battle, with Jared Goff out-dueling Matthew Stafford and delivering Detroit its first playoff win since the 1991 season.
Heading into the divisional round of the playoffs, there’s a chance more blowouts could be on the way. According to odds on Caesars, three of the four matchups have favorites listed at 6.5 points or more, typically a sign of extreme confidence in that team’s ability to handle the opponent.
Weekend Picks:
Ravens vs Texans – 9.30pm GMT (Saturday)
Our Pick: Ravens -9.5 @10/11
It has been a magical run for Stroud and the Texans. From last place in 2022 to first place in the AFC South in 2023, led by the favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year and one of the top candidates for Coach of the Year in DeMeco Ryans.
But the we like the Ravens to win big. Why? They are extremely well rested with two weeks off for their starters, which adds a major bonus to the equation. Lamar Jackson is playing at an MVP-level, and the Texans have at times struggled defensively against top-tier offenses. Caesars doesn’t quite like the Ravens to win by as much as the model, but as 9-point favorites, Vegas still sees Baltimore as a runaway favorite to win.
49ers vs Packers – 1.15am GMT (Sunday)
Pick: 49ers -9.0 @10/11
WOW! No team had ever emerged from the No. 7 seed to reach the divisional round of the playoffs. Somehow, the Packers, the youngest team in the league, bludgeoned the Cowboys and sent Dallas spiraling into an offseason of uncertainty.
Green Bay has been red-hot and the 49ers lost two of their final three games. But San Francisco has been a juggernaut all season, and now hosts the No. 7 seed with two weeks of rest. We see San Francisco as massive 15-point favorites, just behind the Ravens as the second-biggest favorites of the weekend.
Lions vs Buccaneers – 8pm GMT
Pick: Over 50.0 Points @10/11
The Lions are back in the playoff win column. All it took was taking down their long-time quarterback and former first overall pick in Stafford. Detroit appears to be clicking on all cylinders on offense, even if the defense has had some issues against the pass at times.
Tampa Bay is also coming in with plenty of momentum. The Buccaneers have now won six of their past seven games that have sent them to an NFC South title and a playoff win over the Eagles. Baker Mayfield is playing well, making this a very tough call, that’s why were taking the over.
Bills vs Chiefs – 11.30pm GMT
Pick: Chiefs ML @5/4 – DOG PICK
This has become one of the classic postseason rivalries. The Bills and Chiefs have met in the playoffs twice in the playoffs in recent years, in the 2020 AFC Championship and the 2021 AFC divisional round. Both times, Kansas City won in thrilling matchups.
But Mahomes has never had to play a true road playoff game, and Buffalo is going to be a rowdy environment as it hosts Josh Allen’s long-time boogeyman. The Bills have been a streakier team this season, but they’re also on a hot streak, while Kansas City has looked shaky at times down the stretch, even if it handled the Dolphins without much of an issue. That said we feel a KC hattrick.
The National Football League is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference.
The National Football League (NFL) playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held after the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Currently, seven teams from each of the league’s two conferences qualify for the playoffs. A tie-breaking procedure exists if required.
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