Postseason NFL is officially here!
Full credit to the scriptwriters once again, they put together a hell of a regular season.
All eyes now turn to Wild Card Weekend, the first round of the playoffs.
It’s a pretty simple scenario for every team here, win and you are a week closer to a spot in the Super Bowl.
Just like every week of the regular season, I’ve run my eyes over every market and I’m here to share my thoughts on each game of the playoffs.
Here is my preview of Wild Card Weekend!
The Cleveland Browns will head to Houston for a playoff clash that no one saw coming.
Joe Flacco and the Browns have been TORCHING teams in the back end of the year.
So much so that Joe Flacco in December 2023 has more passing touchdowns than Kenny Pickett has in his entire career.
Let’s not sleep on the Texans either, CJ Stroud is a lock for rookie of the year and has the opportunity to lead his team through the playoffs in his first season as an NFL Player.
The Browns are the $1.67 favourites and that’s where I lean, despite the Texans being an incredible team this year.
They’re the 8th worst in the league for pass yards allowed and Joe Flacco threw for 368 Yards and 3 Tds when these sides met in Week 16 with Amari Cooper going for 265 yards and two TDs.
I think that tandem torches the Texans once again.
My Bets
- Browns -2.5 @ $1.90
SGM: $4.31
- Joe Flacco 275+ Passing Yards @ $1.87
- Amari Cooper Over 75.5 Receiving Yards @ $1.88
- Amari Cooper Anytime Touchdown @ $2.45
The Dolphins will travel to Arrowhead and I hope they pack their warm stuff because the weather looks GRIM.
They are expecting temperatures of -13 degrees celsius and you’d imagine a team from Miami (who’s climate is often compared to Cairns in North Queensland) might struggle in below freezing temperatures.
The Chiefs are short favourites and I’m smarter than to bet against the Chiefs at home in the playoffs, especially when you watch the performance Miami put up last week.
The line is set at 4.5 and I think the Chiefs cover that comfortably.
I’ll be taking Pacheco for phat yardage in this game too, he’s been the most consistent player for KC this year and I think that he will get a lot of opportunity here.
My Bets
Chiefs -4.5 @ $1.90
SGM $4.82
- Isiah Pacheco 90+ Rushing Yards @ $3.70
- Isiah Pacheco Anytime Touchdown @ $4.82
4am on Monday morning our time the Bills will host the Steelers who quite frankly, don’t have a chance against Buffalo.
The Steelers were quite lucky to make it into the playoffs thanks to other results going their way and personally I believe the bookies have nailed their price. Pittsburgh are $5.20 to win.
Buffalo were shaky in the middle of the season but have really gone on an impressive run to finish the year and are looking like the team we expected them to be all season long.
I don’t think that Buffalo 14+ is out of the realm of possibilities especially with the line set at 10.5.
My Bets
- Bills 14+ @ $2.50
SGM $3.86
- Josh Allen 225+ Passing Yards @ $1.87
- James Cook 60+ Rushing Yards @ $1.62
- Dalton Kincaid 30+ Receiving Yards @ $1.46
Jordan Love and the Packers will try to take down America’s team during the 7:30am slot on Monday morning.
Love seems to be improving every start he makes in the league and this game will be his biggest test so far.
Dallas are $1.25 favourites and while they have been incredible all season I think the Packers have a better chance than the bookies think.
With the line set at 7.5 I think Green Bay can at least cover, they’re $4 to win and I don’t think it would be the craziest idea ever to put a unit or two on GB.
My Bets
- Packers +7.5 @ $1.87
SGM $3.51
- Dak Prescott 275+ Passing Yards @ $1.75
- Jordan Love 250+ Passing Yards @ $1.85
- CeeDee Lamb 75+ Receiving Yards @ $1.24
Jared Goff will have the opportunity to eliminate the team that drafted and traded him for the QB that won LA a Super Bowl in the 11:15am slot on Monday morning.
It sets up as an incredible story line these teams swapped QBs and now Goff gets his chance at revenge in Detroit the city that made Matthew Stafford the QB he is today.
The Lions are $1.58 favourites and have been such a fun team this year, when the Lions are firing on all cylinders, they are one of the hardest teams to stop.
Take away Amon-Ra and Sam LaPorta is going to catch a billion passes, focus on the pass game as a whole and the tandem of Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs will punch you in the face repeatedly on the ground.
Sure the Rams have some great pieces too, Kyren Williams won a lot of people their fantasy leagues and Puka Nacua has had the greatest ever debut season by a Wide Receiver but I think this is Detroit all day.
My Bets
- Detroit -3 @ $1.87
SGM $4.24
- David Montgomery 40+ Rushing Yards @ $1.35
- Jahmyr Gibbs over 52.5 Rushing Yards @ $1.88
- Amon-Ra St Brown 60+ Receiving Yards @ $1.42
Tuesday we have the final game of Wildcard Weekend!
Baker Mayfield and the Buccs will host the out of form Philly Eagles in a must win game.
The Eagles were absolutley flying for a good chunk of the year but have lost their winning ways of late and really struggled to wrap up the regular season.
They lost to the Giants in the final week and could be without AJ Brown but I don’t have it in me to bet against them especially in the playoffs.
I love what Baker and the Bucs have done this year but I’m not sure if they will be able to overcome the Eagles in the post season.
My Bets
- Eagles -3 @ $1.88
SGM $5.35
- D’Andre Swift 70+ Rushing Yards @ $1.88
- Devonta Smith 60+ Receiving Yards @ $1.46
- Jalen Hurts Anytime Touchdown @ $1.65