Round 1 of the 2024 NFL playoffs is complete. And if your favorite team is still standing... must be nice.
Despite an abnormally high amount of blowouts in Wild Card weekend, there was still a lot to discuss about each game. And that's what I did in an article I wrote earlier this week that you can read HERE. I went 2-2 last week, with one of my losses being a bad beat with the over in the Rams/Lions game. Those two teams scored 38 points in the first half and couldn't manage just 14 more in the second half. It definitely put a bit of a damper on my Sunday evening, but I bounced back Monday night with a win on the under for the Bucs/Eagles matchup. But today, my only goal is to look to the future and give out a bet in each of the four Divisional games this weekend that are sure to make you money. And there's no need to delay that. So here are my four favorite plays of the Divisional round. Houston Texans +9.5 at Baltimore Ravens
I'm a huge believe in Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, and I think they'll most likely advance to the Super Bowl this season. But 9.5 is a ton of points in the playoffs, especially against a team as red hot as the Texans are right now. They just dominated the Browns in a 31-point win in the first round, and they're playing incredibly well on both sides of the ball at just the right time. The energy that DeMeco Ryans and C.J. Stroud have brought to the team is insane, and I fully expect this to be a one score game in the end. Baltimore should get by to secure a spot in the AFC Championship, but this won't be an easy game for them.
Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers Over 50.5 Nick Bosa and the 49ers claimed they laid out the blueprint for stopping the Eagles earlier this year. But I think Matt LaFleur and the Packers demonstrated the method to beat the heavyweights of the NFC last week. Green Bay won the toss and elected to receive, marching down the field to score a touchdown on the opening possession. This put the Cowboys in a position to have to come from behind, which is a spot they weren't used to this season. The Packers will most likely attempt to do the same thing this week against an opponent who, like Dallas, performs optimally when they can jump out to a lead. As a result, both teams are going to be aggressive early and set the pace for a shootout. Both teams have a bunch of really fast and athletic offensive weapons, and San Francisco is liable to score 35-plus in just about any game. Add in what Jordan Love has been doing for the Packers lately, and I think we see a game in the fifties or sixties on Saturday. Tampa Bay Buccaneers +6.5 at Detroit Lions I'm happy for the Lions and the city of Detroit after their first playoff win in over 30 years. But it's still hard for me to trust the Lions to not screw up when it really matters. Especially after I watched them go scoreless in the entire second half of last week's game. Tampa Bay has rallied around Baker Mayfield, who has revived his career in the Buccaneers offense. The Bucs dominated the Eagles despite missing on a few deep throws early on Monday night. But their defense is playing phenomenally, and I expect them to give Jared Goff and the Lions some trouble this Sunday. I was shocked this spread was a high as it is, and while I won't be surprised if Detroit wins it (and I kind of hope they do), I think there's a good chance the Bucs win outright. And if they don't, I expect them to at least cover. Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills Under 45.5 âThis should be the game of the weekend. And as much as I would want to see a game rivaling the overtime thriller we got a couple weeks ago, I just don't see either team scoring a lot of points this time. They only combined for 37 in their meeting in the regular season, and both offenses have struggled at times to convert in the red zone. Kansas City has relied more on their defense than on Patrick Mahomes this season, partly because of their struggles at receiver. And while Buffalo has been hot lately, I think they'll have a tougher time putting the ball in the end zone against the Chiefs. I'm expecting a lot of field goals and a relatively low-scoring game. I honestly lean the Chiefs if I were going to pick a team to win, but it's hard to predict how Mahomes will play in his first career road playoff game in a hostile Buffalo environment. I'm really excited to watch this matchup, and I think the under is the play here. Let me know in the comments how you think the four games this weekend will play out and what your favorite bets are for each matchup. Be sure to check back next week for my recap and reaction to each game, as well as my favorite plays for the two conference championship games next Sunday. Written by Nick Swatson
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