As we close the book on the 2022 NFL regular season, we look back at the final week and the outcome of a very decisive round of action. We also look forward to the playoffs and how the Super Bowl LVII market currently stacks up.
The Wild Week 18
AFC Playoff Frame
The Kansas City Chiefs cemented their place at the top of the AFC standings with a lopsided 31-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders while the Miami Dolphins seized the final spot (No. 7) in the AFC playoff picture with a hard-fought 11-6 win over the New York Jets.
The Dolphins were mired in a heated race with the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers for the seventh seed. They needed help and they got it from the Buffalo Bills, who beat the Patriots 35-23 to cement their place as the second seed..
The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns 28-14 to finish with a 9-8-0 record, handing Mike Tomlin his 16th straight season without a losing record. However, they lost in the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Dolphins.
The Cincinnati Bengals underscored their position as the No. 3 seed, beating the Baltimore Ravens 27-16 to clinch the AFC North title.
The Jacksonville Jaguars completed their late-season push with a 20-16 win over the Tennessee Titans on Saturday to seize the AFC South title and the No. 4 seed.
The Chargers moved up to the No. 5 seed despite losing to the Denver Broncos 31-28. That move was facilitated by Baltimore’s loss to the Bengals, as the Ravens slipped down to the sixth seed.
Let’s check the latest NFL picks, stats, injury reports, and NFL predictions. We’ve plenty of NFL expert picks for you to consider.
Retweet if your team is in the playoffs 👏 pic.twitter.com/541adPmZVW
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 9, 2023
NFC Playoff Frame
Over in the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles saw Jalen Hurts return in Week 18 to lead them to the NFC East title and the No. 1 seed with a 22-16 win over the New York Giants. The G-men were already locked in as the No. 6 seed.
The San Francisco 49ers leapfrogged into the No. 2 spot with a 38-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals, replacing the Minnesota Vikings thanks to a better record in conference games.
The Vikings slipped into the No. 3 spot, though they defeated the ChicagoBears 29-13. On a side note, the Bears clinched the No. 1 draft pick in 2023 thanks to the loss and a shocking Houston Texans win over the Indianapolis Colts.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were locked into the No. 4 spot, and with little to play for in the final week, they lost 30-17 to the Atlanta Falcons, all the while playing mostly behind second-string players.
The Dallas Cowboys were left reeling by a Washington Commanders side that was bent on playing spoilers, losing 26-6 in the nation’s capital.
Finally, the Seattle Seahawks squeaked into the playoffs in sensational fashion. After beating the Los Angeles Rams 19-16 in overtime, they needed the Detroit Lions to beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football to ensure their passage. Tale told, Jared Goff and Co. delivered, spoiling the Packers’ party at Lambeau Field.
The #NFLPlayoffs begin Saturday! #SuperWildCard pic.twitter.com/DLrpnFzjEF
— NFL (@NFL) January 9, 2023
Super Bowl LVII Odds
With the AFC and NFC playoff landscape decided, the Super Bowl LVII odds have been adjusted to reflect the current lay of the land.
The most significant mover is Kansas City, moving to the top of the NFL odds board as the team to beat from +400 to +350, thanks to clinching the No. 1 seed. The Buffalo Bills, in the meanwhile, dropped back from +375 to +400.
The Philadelphia Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers (tied as the third-best bet at +550), and the Cincinnati Bengals (+700) round out the top four best bets.
The Cowboys saw their stock drop from +1000 to +1200 following Week 18. So, too, the Minnesota Vikings, whose odds drifted from +3000 to +3300, and the Ravens from +2800 to +3500.
The Los Angeles Chargers (+2200) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (+2200) saw no movement in the online betting markets. The same goes for the New York Giants, who remain priced at +6600.
The Miami Dolphins saw their odds trimmed from +6600 to +6000 while the Seattle Seahawks saw their NFL odds shaved from +20000 to +7000.
Super Bowl LVII Odds
- Kansas City Chiefs +350
- Buffalo Bills +400
- Philadelphia Eagles +550
- San Francisco 49ers +550
- Cincinnati Bengals +700
- Dallas Cowboys +1200
- Los Angeles Chargers +2200
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers +2200
- Minnesota Vikings +3300
- Baltimore Ravens +3500
- Jacksonville Jaguars +4000
- Miami Dolphins +6000
- New York Giants +6600
- Seattle Seahawks +7000
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
