The NFL regular season came to a dramatic end last week, with the 272nd and final game of the season coming down to the very final play.
The Steelers outlasted the Ravens to claim the AFC North crown and become the 14th and final playoff team.
As we enter the postseason, we have seemingly as wide-open of a field as we’ve had in recent memory. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs aren’t in anyone’s way. Tom Brady will be calling some of these playoff games but not playing in any of them.
Outside of perhaps the Rams, there is no dominant team. And they even have the obstacle of playing Wild Card Weekend and needing to win games away from home as the 5-seed.
In what should be the start to an incredible postseason, let’s take a look at each game and find a best bet for each one.
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Rams -10.5
These teams met in late November with the Panthers pulling off a huge upset. I actually think that is a negative for the Panthers here, who won’t catch the superior Rams napping again. The Panthers had a -69 point differential this year. To put that in perspective, the Giants were -58 this year and were in contention for the first pick in the draft until the final weeks of the season. I think the Rams win this one with some margin to spare.
Packers Moneyline
This is another rematch, as these teams met twice recently. The Packers won by a touchdown in the first meeting and led by 10 points in the final two minutes of the second one, despite starting quarterback Jordan Love missing most of the game with a concussion. The Bears are a great story, but a large part of their success is due to a staggering +22 turnover margin that led the league.
Jaguars +1.5
This is an epic first-round game on paper, because either of these teams is fully capable of coming out of a wide-open AFC. I’ll go with the home underdog here and believe the Bills being favored is the books trying to balance what they anticipate to be a lot of action on the Bills. Josh Allen is the biggest star left in these playoffs, and I think that brings with it a tax. The Jaguars also have a weapon at kicker in Cam Little, who has shown the ability to put up points as soon as the team gets near midfield — which could matter in a close game.
Under 44.5 points scored by both teams combined
The Eagles are an ideal Under team. They don’t create many explosive plays on offense, while they still play outstanding defense. Expect the defending champs to lean on their ground game and raucous home crowd in a game that stays under the total.
No. 7 Chargers @ No. 2 Patriots
Chargers +3.5
The Chargers check a lot of boxes. They have a good quarterback, coach and defense, plus they’re getting points here. Their one glaring weakness is an offensive line that is missing its two best pieces, but the Patriots are near the bottom of the league in generating pressure. The Patriots have had an unbelievable season but have only beaten two teams that are still alive. I think we get a close one Sunday night.
Under 39.5 points scored by both teams combined
The first team to score 20 will probably be the one advancing to the divisional round. The Texans are elite defensively and will make life tough on Aaron Rodgers, who is not as mobile as he once was. But as good as the Texans are on defense, they are a limited offense that will likely to struggle to do much on the road in what will be a loud road environment on Monday night. Field goals and field position will determine who wins this game. I expect a 20-17 type of matchup.
Will Hill, a contributor on the Bear Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network.
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