Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans
The wild-card weekend starts with the Chargers visiting the Houston Texans on Saturday.
Everything leads toward the Chargers, who are three-point favorites; the NFL odds have the home team as the underdog because they have not been playing good football lately. CJ Stroud’s second year has not been as dazzling as the first. Jim Harbaugh has gotten everything corrected in Los Angeles with the Bolts.
A team that was so derailed for so long has found its footing under the college football national championship coach.
One interesting note, the Texans are 10-7 but have scored the same amount of points they allowed.
Let’s go with the home team and the points.
Pick: Houston Texans +3 points.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens Betting Analysis
Your eyes are not fooling you. The Steelers head to Baltimore for Round Three of their AFC North duels with the Ravens as 10-point underdogs.
Pittsburgh’s offense can’t get much going and the team is on a losing streak. The Ravens are on quite a roll behind Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson. Mike Tomlin doesn’t pay attention to NFL wild-card odds of any other NFL game.
However, this is a smack in the face of his team.
When was the Steelers a double-digit underdog against anyone?
Pick: Steelers +10 points.
Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills Betting Analysis
Riffing off the above game. The Broncos are smaller dogs at Buffalo than the Steelers are at Baltimore.
Okay, it is a half-point but you get the idea. This Denver team has virtually no playoff experience and has to go into Orchard Park to try and stop Josh Allen. The line makes you think people believe they can win the game. They can’t Look for Josh Allen & Co. to roll.
Pick: Bills – 9½ points.
Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting Analysis
Yes, we understand how dazzling Jayden Daniels is. However, he is a rookie. And the Buccaneers have won the NFC South four years in a row.
Do not be surprised if the stage is too big for Dan Quinn’s young Commanders. The Buccaneers know how to rise when it comes to playoff games.
Washington’s secondary has been dinged up and that opened the door for Baker Mayfield to find Mike Evans early and often. Give the points in NFL odds.
Pick: Buccaneers – 3 points.
Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams Betting Analysis
The Rams get a home game despite having won four fewer games than the Vikings in the regular season.
The Vikings lost two games in their first 16. Are they going to lose two in a row to end their season? Sam Darnold returns to Los Angeles, where he starred in college at USC. Just have a feeling the Vikings’ magic carpet ride is on “E.” Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Matthew Stafford, and Kyren Williams know what it takes to win in the postseason.
Los Angeles already has a win over Minnesota at SoFi this season. Make it a double, Go Rams!
Pick: Rams (moneyline).
