Betting Guide for the 2018 NFL Divisional Round

We saw some wild finishes in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs. In the AFC, we saw Kansas City roar out to a 21-3 lead…but then fold in the second half, as the Tennessee Titans came all the way back for a 22-21 win that made it six home playoff losses in a row for the Chiefs. Jacksonville only score 10 points in their game against the Buffalo Bills…but they only gave up a single field goal and advanced to face Pittsburgh next week. In the NFC, Atlanta went on the road and took down a hyped Rams team and now heads to Philadelphia to take on a vulnerable-looking Eagles team. The New Orleans Saints clamped down on Carolina to win their matchup and now head to Minneapolis to take on the Vikings. But can the Saints play as well on the road? Check out our NFL betting thoughts on these upcoming matchups.

Betting Guide for the 2018 NFL Divisional Round

The Divisional Round is set! #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/tb2jcoPJ81

— NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2018

Saturday, January 13

Atlanta at Philadelphia (4:35pm ET, NBC)

Tennessee at New England (8:15pm ET, CBS)

When Atlanta heads to Philadelphia, they come in with the momentum of having doubled up a Rams team that had one of the top-rated defenses in the NFL. They had one of the most hyped trios on offense in Jared Goff, Cooper Kupp and Todd Gurley. They came in still wearing that 28-3 label on their helmets, just as clearly as that falcon sitting there, but they came in and took care of business. Playoff experience clearly makes a big difference, as a Falcon team that had won their way to the Super Bowl a year ago looked faster and more confident for the vast majority of the night. Now they head to Philadelphia — the first top-seeded underdog in league history. Can the Eagles’ defense rise to the occasion? I think so. But can Nick Foles move the ball like he did against the Giants? Against Oakland and Dallas, he looked like he was walking in molasses. It’s hard to pick the Eagles here. When Tennessee heads to New England, this really does seem like an exercise in futility. The headlines that we’ve been reading about trouble in the New England camp really seem like fodder for a giant chip on Tom Brady’s shoulder on Saturday afternoon. Watching the Chiefs’ offense disappear last week was like watching the middle of the season for Kansas City, while the Patriots’ offense just got better all season long, as did their defense. Of the four games, the Titans’ loss seems like the surest pick.

Sunday, January 14

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh (1:05pm ET, CBS)

New Orleans at Minnesota (4:40pm ET, FOX)

Can Jacksonville go up to Pittsburgh and win after scoring just 10 points against the Bills? Buffalo does have a stifling defense — but the Jaguars’ is even tougher, as we saw them knock Tyrod Taylor out of the game. Blake Bortles continued to show some major issues in his passing game, as he looked to be aiming the ball and missed even some basic screen passes badly. The Jaguars’ defense can stand toe to toe with Pittsburgh, but I’m not sure the Jaguars can get the points that they need. And what about Minnesota and New Orleans? We have two solid offenses, although in a duel between Drew Brees and Case Keenum I have to like the Saints’ gunslinger, perhaps because he has made the amazing pass look so ordinary for so long. The Saints get strong defense when they need it, as they showed when they held off Carolina by five points yesterday. However, the Vikings have a better defense than the Panthers. This might be the closest game of the four, but I see that Viking defense standing tall at the end to get the crucial stops. So how about those championship games next week? I see New England hosting Pittsburgh and Minnesota hosting the Falcons. But it will take a real struggle for these teams to advance.