A lot of NFL fans would consider this to be the best weekend of the football season. Two games on Saturday and two games on Sunday will produce the conference championship matchups. This weekend we’ll see two New York teams play as the Giants travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles while the Bills host the Bengals from Highmark Stadium. It’s the first time two New York teams have reached this point in the playoffs since 1994.
We’ll preview this Divisional Round weekend and give you the best bets
The One Seeds Are Each Big Favorites
Each of the one seeds, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, are big favorites this weekend. The Chiefs will welcome the Jaguars into town. The Jaguars, who were 4-8 at one point, ended the season hot and had an incredible 27 point comeback victory last week against the Chargers.
The Chiefs had another outstanding season and were awarded a first-round bye. Kansas City has had plenty of playoff success with Patrick Mahomes under center. They defeated the Jags by 10 earlier in the season at home but the score was closer than the game indicated.
This time they will be favored by 8.5 points as they try to clinch their 5th straight berth in the AFC title game.
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The Eagles will also come into their matchup as big favorites. Philadelphia went 14-3 this season but skittered down the stretch. Quarterback Jalen Hurts hurt his knee late in the season but was able to return for his team’s final game.
The Giants will be coming off a big win over Minnesota in which quarterback Daniel Jones played the game of his life. They’ll need the same kind of game this Saturday from Jones. The Eagles got the better of the Giants twice this year, including a 48-22 thrashing in the Meadowlands.
The Eagles are favored by 7.5 points which is quite large. It’s going to be a hostile environment for New York but this team has already proven they can win on the road in the postseason.
The Bills Will Square Off With Another AFC Power
The Bills-Bengals matchup features the most talent on the offensive side of the ball. Stefon Diggs and Ja’Marr Chase are two of the best receivers in the game and are complemented by star quarterbacks.
Each of these teams looked shaky in the Wildcard Round. The Bills were supposed to roll over the Dolphins, who had a third-string quarterback under center. However, that did not happen.
The Ravens had the Bengals on the ropes until Sam Hubbard returned a fumble 98 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for the Bengals, offensive tackle, Jonah Williams suffered a dislocated kneecap in his team’s win which further adds to the complications on the Bengal’s o-line.
The Bills are 5.5-point favorites this Sunday. The line is big, especially when you consider Buffalo’s recent struggles and Cincinnati’s 9-game winning streak.
A Historic Rivalry Comes to the Bay Area
The Cowboys and 49ers will be battling it out in back-to-back postseasons. Last year San Francisco got the better of Dallas 23-17 in Arlington. This time the game will be held in Santa Clara with a spot in the NFC Championship on the line.
Each team is coming off double-digit Wild Card wins but it’s the Niners that will be the favorites. NY sportsbooks are expecting this to be the closest matchup as the 49ers are only favored by 3.5 points.
The over/under is also the lowest of any of the 4 Divisional-Round games. It’s listed at 46.5 points on FanDuel. This is largely because each team boasts a talented defense.
Best Bets For Divisional Round Weekend
Kansas City Chiefs -8.5 (-110) BetMGM
The Chiefs are the much more talented team in the first Divisional Round game. They’ll also have the advantage of playing at Arrowhead as they start their 5th postseason run with Patrick Mahomes. The Jaguars’ comeback last weekend was remarkable but it’s tough to see them hanging with the Chiefs on the road.
New York Giants +7.5 (-108) BetRivers
This game should be a lot closer than people think. The Giants have already shown that they’re not scared of playing playoff football on the road. The Eagles’ defense had a great year but don’t be surprised if they struggle with the dual-threat abilities of Daniel Jones.
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Bengals +5.5 (-110)/ Over 48 (-110) BetMGM
Joe Burrow and company will fight hard in this one. Josh Allen has played inconsistently recently but expect each high-powered offense to put up points. Of the 4 Divisional-Round games this weekend, this one has the best chance of being a shootout.
49ers -3.5 (-114) FanDuel
The 49ers have been playing with so much momentum. They’ve won 10 games in a row and since Brock Purdy took over as the starting quarterback they’ve gone 6-0. The Cowboys have been off and on in that timeframe. The Niners could be favored by more so it’s a good bet to take them to cover this weekend.
