We’ve a four-fold for Wild Card weekend with some extra stunned in retailer in what has been a season stuffed with them thus far.
It’s Wild Card weekend within the NFL in what has been a stunning season thus far, with 4 intriguing contests going down to find out who progresses to the Divisional Spherical.
The NFC champions within the final three seasons mixed go face to face because the Philadelphia Eagles entertain the San Francisco 49ers in what may very well be seen because the tie of the spherical, though there’s loads of intrigue throughout the six video games.
Listed below are our 4 finest bets for the motion.
Wild Card Weekend four-fold
- Carolina Panthers +10.5 @ 10/11
- Over 45.5 factors in Inexperienced Bay Packers at Chicago Bears @ 20/23
- Pittsburgh Steelers +2.5 @ 21/20
- Over 51.5 factors in Buffalo Payments at Jacksonville Jaguars @ 10/11
Residence discipline benefit offers Panthers an opportunity
The opening contest of Wild Card weekend is being seen as one thing of a mis-match when the LA Rams head for the Financial institution of America Stadium, however this won’t be as simple as the chances recommend.
Firstly, the Panthers have home-field benefit and over the previous 4 seasons, residence groups have gone 18-6.
Dave Canales’ males beat the Rams 31-28 within the common season, the Panthers additionally received the higher of the Buccaneers, Falcons, Dolphins and Cowboys within the NFC, and people outcomes recommend that Carolina shouldn’t be so simply dismissed.
There’s excellent news for the Panthers with guard Robert Hunt coming back from damage, and whereas the Rams will provide a stern problem, there’s potential for Canales’ facet to be greater than aggressive in opposition to the Los Angeles outfit.
If the Panthers can carry the sport to the Rams, who have been solely 5-4 on the highway within the common season, then they need to keep inside the 10.5 handicap.
Shootout on the playing cards at Soldier Discipline
The Inexperienced Bay Packers and Chicago Bears meet for the third time this season and there ought to be loads of factors on the board at Soldier Discipline.
The 2 common season contests noticed every group share a victory with scorelines of 22-16 and 28-21.
Jordan Love sat out Week 18 at Minnesota, however the Packers quarterback returns to the roster in Chicago to bolster their offence and the factors line went over in six of Inexperienced Bay’s opening seven highway video games of the season.
Chicago’s offence might be fancied to rack up the factors as they rank ninth within the NFL with a median of 25.9 factors per recreation, however the defence has points.
The Bears are the most effective group within the NFL at forcing turnovers, however they rank solely twenty seventh in factors allowed per possession after they don’t drive a turnover, and the Packers offence may very well be handed loads of alternatives if the house defence will not be fairly on track.
Huge-game Steelers can finish Houston sizzling streak
The Houton Texans ended the common season by profitable 9 straight matches and arrive within the play-offs because the NFL’s hottest facet.
Nonetheless, the Texans offence is averaging 23.8 factors per recreation to rank solely thirteenth finest within the NFL and Houston at the moment are operating right into a Steelers’ defence packed stuffed with stars.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have developed a profitable recreation plan, and with a low factors expectancy, the hosts are fancied on the handicap.
The Steelers’ second-half performances in opposition to the Lions and Ravens (twice) point out that Tomlin’s males can ship when the chips are down and their defence can produce one other match-winning show.
Defences to wrestle in Jacksonville
The Buffalo Payments and Jacksonville Jaguars might simply ship probably the most entertaining contest of the weekend.
Buffalo are averaging 28.3 factors per recreation this season and their 2,714 dashing yards are greater than every other facet within the NFL.
On the similar time, the Jags have quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the most effective type of his profession, throwing for 4,006 yards and 29 touchdowns and Jacksonville have been glorious within the second half of the season.
After all, the strain is on within the play-offs, however there nonetheless appears to be some worth in taking on 51.5 factors at EverBank Stadium, significantly with each defences having struggled this season.