NFL Divisional Round Odds

Last week saw some real stinkers to kick off the first round of the playoffs. Five of the six matchups were decided by double digits. Will things change a bit now in the Divisional Round?

That remains to be seen, but it seems likely a few closer games are in store for NFL fans. After a week off on byes, this week sees the Super Bowl champion Chiefs back in the mix and looking to make it a big game three-peat.

The Lions are back in action as well and looking to build on last week’s appearance in the NFC Championship game. Anything short of that surely will leave Detroit fans pretty disappointed.

The Bills-Ravens showdown also will see two quarterbacks thirsty to break through and finish out a postseason run in the Super Bowl.

A few other teams will be hoping to shock the NFL and knock off some of the playoff favorites. How will it all turn out? It should be a great weekend on the gridiron. Here’s a look at this week’s matchups.

Also, read our NFL Divisional Round props and parlay picks for more info regarding the upcoming action.

Matchups to Watch

This deep in the season, every game is a matchup to watch. These eight teams in the league can almost smell a trip to the Super Bowl, set for Feb. 9 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Here’s a look at each game.

• Texans (10-7)  at Chiefs (15-2) – Kansas City was only 7-9-1 this season against the spread, but just edged out win after win. KC notched a 27-19 victory over the Texans on Dec. 21. Can Houston keep it somewhat close again? Last season the Chiefs won in the playoffs by an average of 4 points, hinting that a huge win isn’t necessarily a foregone conclusion. It’s important to remember that Patrick Mahomes is 15-3 in the postseason, so the Texans certainly have their work cut out for them. That Chiefs defense has also been solid, giving up just 19.2 yards per game. This one may be closer than many expect.
• Commanders (12-5) at Lions (15-2) – Jayden Daniels put on quite a show last week in a thrilling last-second 23-20 win over the Buccaneers. The rookie quarterback threw for 268 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. But the Commanders face a completely different animal this week against the Lions. Detroit has had a week to rest and recover – needed for a defense that has sustained some injuries – and coach Dan Campbell will be looking to take advantage of that. The Lions finished the season with a league-best 12-5 record against the spread. Quarterback Jared Goff has also been on fire. Since throwing five interceptions on Nov. 10, Goff has posted 21 pass TDs with only three INTs.
• Rams (11-7) at Eagles (14-3) – The Rams shocked the Vikings last week and the defense looked especially good, posting nine sacks, an interception, and allowing just 269 yards of total offense. The offense was solid as well and never seemed to relent after the first drive of the game. The Eagles put together a nice performance as well in a 22-10 win over the Packers, with the defense also showing up in force. Green Bay was held scoreless in the first half and Philly picked off Jordan Love three times. Could this one be a bit of a defensive battle? It will be interesting to keep an eye on.
• Ravens (12-5) at Bills (13-4) – This should be the showdown of the weekend. Both teams and quarterbacks Lamar Jacksona and Josh Allen have seen plenty of playoff appearances in recent years and are looking to break through for an even deeper run. The Bills looked dominating last week in dispatching the Broncos 31-7 with solid outings by Allen (272 passing yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT) and running back James Cook (120 yards, 1 TD). The defense also held the Broncos to just 224 yards of offense and recorded two sacks. The Ravens also looked dominating in a 28-14 victory over the Steelers. Derrick Henry’s bruising running game has really added an extra element to the Ravens offense and the defense also showed up with Pittsburgh only accounting for 280 yards of offense. Another feather in Baltimore’s cap? Just three penalties. This is a disciplined team and this should be the matchup of the weekend.

Divisional Round NFL Odds

Ready to make those selections for the Divisional Week? Here’s a look at this week’s odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

Matchup	Betting Line	Moneyline	Total
Texans at Chiefs	Chiefs -8.5	Texans +350 Chiefs -460	41.5
Commanders at Lions	Lions -9.5	Commanders +400 Lions -520	55.5
Rams at Eagles	Eagles -6.5	Rams +235 Eagles -290	44.5
Ravens at Bills	Ravens -1.5	Ravens -118 Bills +100	51.5

Interesting Prop Bets

Derrick Henry rolled to 186 yards on the ground last week against the Ravens, along with two TDs. The “ground and pound” approach paid off for bettors and registered a win on our over 98.5 rushing yards prop pick for a payout of -114.

This week, look for Jayden Daniels to have a decent day throwing the ball against the Lions. Detroit has suffered some defensive injuries and the Commanders may be forced to throw a lot to keep up with the high-octane Lions offense. Look for Daniels to throw for more than 234.5 yards for a payout of -114.

Picks for the People

We started the playoffs with a 4-4 record last week, which isn’t great but at least wasn’t a losing week. This brings our season record to 79-62-1 for the entire season.

The Chargers and the Vikings certainly laid eggs for our picks last week, but we’ll try and get back on the horse this week with a few winners.

• Texans (10-7)  at Chiefs (15-2) – Look for the Chiefs to get it done here, but the Texans should again keep it close. The 8.5-point line seems just a bit too high in this one and the Texans keep it within that. Also look for the total to slip over the 41.5.
• Commanders (12-5) at Lions (15-2) – This is a huge line, but just not enough. Dan Campbell will be ready to roll on into the NFC Championship and the Commanders just don’t have enough on defense to keep this one that close.
• Rams (11-7) at Eagles (14-3) – The Rams seemed to have gotten better all season and are really peaking at the exact right time. Hitting the road for a Phoenix game against the Vikings because of the L.A. fires didn’t bother this team at all. The defense also proved to wreak havoc. That may continue this week and they should keep it within the 6.5 (if not win this one outright).
• Ravens (12-5) at Bills (13-4) – What a game this should be. But the Bills as a 1.5-point favorite at home? The Bills bombed earlier in the season in a 35-10 loss in Baltimore. But it will be rocking in Orchard Park, New York, and look for a different team and different result. Take the Bills and the 1.5 points in a close one. A Buffalo Moneyline wager might be worth making as well.

Good luck with our own picks this week and enjoy the postseason!