Wildcard weekend had plenty of drama, including the same old Cowboys, getting blown out at home by the upstart Packers. Looking at this week's matchups, the Ravens and 49ers are heavy favorites at home, looking to capitalize on home field advantage. Let's dive into the divisional round matchups.
**All betting lines from bet365.com** (Updated Jan. 20)
Houston Texans (11-7) @ Baltimore Ravens (13-4)
C.J. Stroud was impressive in his playoff debut last week, shredding a tough Browns defense, and leading the Texans to a comfortable win. He really does look like the real deal, calm and cool in the pocket, but that will be tested by a stout Ravens defense that gave up a league best 16.5 points per game this season. The challenge for the Texans' defense will be to slow down potential MVP, Lamar Jackson, so they give Stroud as many chances to score as possible. Pick: Ravens, 27-20.
Line: Ravens -9.5
ML: Ravens
Spread: Texans
Green Bay Packers (10-8) @ San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
Nobody gave the Packers a chance against a Cowboys team that had won 16 straight home games coming into last week. That didn't phase Jordan Love, as he delivered in his playoff debut and looked like vintage Aaron Rodgers at times, completing passes off his back foot. This will be a bigger challenge for Love and this young offense, as they take on a veteran-laden Niners defense. The key to beating the Packers is by running the ball, and nobody does that better than Christian McCaffrey who will be a focal point for Kyle Shanahan's offense in this game. Pick: 49ers, 34-23.
Line: 49ers -10
ML: 49ers
Spread: 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-8) @ Detroit Lions (13-5)
The Lions got their first playoff win since 1996 last week, and you could see the jubilation on the fans' faces as it came to fruition. As much as that was a big accomplishment, you know that Dan Campbell and this team want more. This matchup with the Bucs has the potential for some offensive fireworks, especially with some struggles in the Lions' secondary that could present a mismatch with Mike Evans. I think this game comes down to a late stop by Aaron Glenn's defense and Baker Mayfield comes up just short. Pick: Lions, 29-22.
Line: Lions -6
ML: Lions
Spread: Lions
Kansas City Chiefs (12-6) @ Buffalo Bills (12-6)
Once again, we get a primetime matchup in the playoffs between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen -- how will the story end this time? The Bills got the better of the Chiefs earlier in the year in a game that saw some controversy when a flag was thrown against Kadarius Toney for lining up offside, which negated a game-leading touchdown pass in the 4th quarter for the Chiefs. Let's face it, the Chiefs have had some luck of their own when it comes to officiating and this game should be decided on the defensive side of the ball. If the Chiefs control the line of scrimmage, I think they take advantage here of some of the Bills' injuries to punch their ticket to another AFC championship game. Pick: Chiefs, 24-23.
Line: Bills -2.5
ML: Chiefs
Spread: Chiefs
Results
Wildcard
ML: 3-3
ATS: 4-2
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