2018 NFL Pro Bowl Betting Prediction: AFC vs. NFC

In the week between the conference championships and the Super Bowl, the National Football League gives us the Pro Bowl, an exhibition game featuring the best players from each conference — who aren’t playing in the Super Bowl the next week. So the rosters that came out back in December have gone through some changes (Tom Brady, for example, won’t be starting at quarterback for the AFC because he has a bigger game the next week). Also, the emphasis in this game is not on defense — you won’t see the huge hits that you see in regular play. That’s why the point total is way up at 64 for this contest. Take a look at our NFL betting preview for this battle of the league’s best.

2018 NFL Pro Bowl Betting Prediction: AFC vs. NFC

Now heading to Orlando… UPDATED 2018 #ProBowl rosters! https://t.co/kd6MOrmlqO pic.twitter.com/sRchw0M5Wi

— NFL (@NFL) January 22, 2018

When: Sunday, January 28, 2018, 3:00pm EST Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando TV: ABC / ESPN Radio: None Live Stream: WatchESPN NFL Odds: Pick ‘em (O/U 64)

Why should you bet on the AFC?

Philip Rivers and Alex Smith will be the quarterbacks for this squad. This is an offense filled with explosive talent — tailbacks Kareem Hunt and Le’Veon Bell headline the running game, and wideouts A.J. Green and Antonio Brown will be looking for openings down the field. The head coach for the AFC is Mike Tomlin, who has a lifetime winning percentage of 0.659, and he has a Super Bowl ring of his own, dating back to 2008. While defense is fairly nondescript in the Pro Bowl, the AFC does have a solid cover guy in cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who had predicted that his Jaguars would win the Super Bowl but then saw the Patriots put up 14 points in the fourth quarter to take Jacksonville down, and he may have some motivation to make some plays as an answer. Von Miller from Denver and Geno Atkins from Cincinnati will key a pass rush that should be enthusiastic.

Why should you put your money on the NFC?

Sean Payton will be the head coach for the NFC. His lifetime winning percentage is 0.597, and he also has a Super Bowl ring, which he won the year after Tomlin won his, in the 2009 season. The quarterbacks will be Drew Brees, who put together a season for the ages, and Russell Wilson, who have 15 Pro Bowl berths between the two of them. Tailbacks Alvin Kamara and Todd Gurley will lead the running attack, and wideout Jimmy Graham will be one of the key targets in the passing game. The NFC’s defense also has some solid players. Minnesota cornerback Xavier Rhodes and Seattle safety Earl Thomas will key the pass coverage game, and Carolina linebacker luke Kuechly will anchor the front seven during his time on the field. The NFC’s team appears to have more veteran experience than the AFC — but does that mean that they will view the game as less of a showcase than their younger peers, or does it mean that they will use this game as a chance to deliver a lesson?

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

There are some rules to consider in this game. Blitzes aren’t allowed, the offensive line can’t make shifts, and the only allowable defensive scheme is a 4-3 Those restrictions generally mean that offenses score more points than they do in regular season and postseason play. Also, a lot of these players use the game as an occasion to catch up with friends on other teams and to relax after a long season — so it’s more a contest of fun than anything else. With that said, it’s hard to recommend taking either side simply because of the quality of the rosters — and the fact that they don’t usually play together. If you’re going to bet on this game, take the over, because in four of the last five Pro Bowls, the point total has soared above 70. 2018 NFL Pro Bowl Pick: AFC 38, NFC 34