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2024 NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl Betting Projections
The 2024 NFL Playoffs are here and BMR breaks down the Super Bowl odds and matchups for every team in the postseason.
www.bookmakersreview.com
AFC Playoff Teams
1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)
AFC West Champions (+385 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: BYEThe loss of Tyreek Hill didn’t prevent the Chiefs from rolling to another division title and the top seed in the AFC. Patrick Mahomes gets the job done no matter what and led a passing attack that generated over 297 yards per game and an offense that averaged 29.2 points per contest, both tops in the NFL.
However, Kansas City’s rushing game was decidedly pedestrian, ranked 20th, averaging only 115.9 yards per game while their defense, ranked 16th in points allowed (21.6 per game), is also not a hallmark of their success.
Nevertheless, the Chiefs should make another deep run into the playoffs but Travis Kelce is the only bona fide threat with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling serving as complementary pieces to the passing attack.
2. Buffalo Bills (13-3)
AFC East Champions (+400 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: Miami Dolphins/Bills -10.5 (-108)The Bills were projected to be one of the beasts of the East and they lived up to that lofty billing. But after Damar Hamlin lay lifeless on the Paycor Stadium field, only to be resuscitated by the quick-thinking and stunningly talented medical staff on hand, it seems this team has coalesced into a Super Bowl team of destiny.
The Bills ended their season by dispatching the Patriots without breaking much of a sweat and rolled into the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak. The Josh Allen-to-Stefon Diggs combination is one of the most feared in the league. But don’t underestimate Dawson Knox, one of the most underrated tight ends in the NFL, who has quietly caught a touchdown in his last four games.
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: Bills 33 – Dolphins 13
3. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)
AFC North Champions (+700 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: Baltimore Ravens/Bengals -6.5 (-108)Last year’s AFC champions will begin the defense of their title against their divisional archrivals from Baltimore. Joe Burrow continued to prove this year that he is in the rarified air of elite NFL quarterbacks but he was rather average in his last performance in which he connected on 25-of-42 passes for 215 yards and 1 touchdown.
Nevertheless, the Bengals did what they had to do in beating the Ravens, 27-16, but looked almost disinterested after opening up a 17-point lead entering the second half. Both teams will have a chance to run it back on Sunday but fade the Bengals as 6.5-point favorites at your own risk, as they are a staggering 13-3 against the number this season!
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: Bengals 28 – Ravens 18
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
AFC South Champions (+4000 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers/Jaguars+1 (-108)Say what you want about the Jaguars but this team doesn’t quit. Trevor Lawrence has come a long way since his rookie campaign, and so too has the remarkable turnaround from last year with the new coaching staff in place to take much of the credit.
Jacksonville reeled off 6 wins over their last 7 games to catch the front-running Titans and put them to bed last week in a division-clinching 20-16 victory. The Jags hope to duplicate their efforts against the Chargers from earlier in the season when they secured a dominating 38-10 win but will likely have it much harder this time around.
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: Chargers 26 – Jaguars 20
5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)
AFC West 2nd Place (+2500 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars/ Chargers PK (-110)Justin Herbert led the Bolts’ No. 3-ranked passing attack, averaging 269.6 yards per game, but LA’s ground game has been stuck in neutral all season, ranked 30th and averaging 89.6 yards per contest.
Defensively, the Chargers are in the bottom third of all the major categories except pass defense where they are a surprising 7th in the league, holding opponents to just 200.4 passing yards per game.
This upcoming game against Jacksonville should feature more of Herbert’s aerial heroics as the Jags check in with the 28th-ranked pass defense.
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: Chargers 26 – Jaguars 20
6. Baltimore Ravens (10-7)
AFC North 2nd Place (+4000 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals/Ravens +6.5 (-108)Undrafted free agent rookie Anthony Brown will likely again take center stage as he did last week against the Bengals when he made his first career start and threw for 286 yards with no touchdowns and two picks.
However, conflicting rumors abound regarding Lamar Jackson’s status, who has been sidelined since December 4th with a knee sprain suffered against the Broncos. But even if Jackson does suit up, will he be ready for prime time against the high-flying Bengals?
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: Bengals 28 – Ravens 18
7. Miami Dolphins (9-8)
AFC East 2nd Place (+7500 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: Buffalo Bills/Dolphins +11 (-112)The Dolphins are down to their third-string quarterback as they enter the postseason and their offense struggled against a tough Jets defense last week. But despite not scoring a touchdown, the Fish went on to defeat New York in a game whose final score resembled more of a high-scoring baseball game as Miami prevailed, 11-6.
Tua Tagovailoa and backup Teddy Bridgewater are both likely to remain sidelined which will mean third-stringer, Skylar Thompson, is likely to take the field again. This is not good news for Fish fans as the Buffalo’s defense is likely to chew him up and spit him out.
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: Bills 33 – Dolphins 13
NFC Playoff Teams
1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)
NFC East Champions (+575 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: BYEWe often hear rumors in the offseason, some reliable, some not, but one rumor that proved to be a fact was the evolution of Jalen Hurts. The third-year pro has made major strides this season and the Eagles have gone from being a wild card also-ran last season to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
2. San Francisco 49ers (13-4)
NFC West Champions (+475 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: Seattle Seahawks/49ers -10 (-108)If defense wins championships, then expect the 49ers to be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy when it’s all said and done. San Francisco ranks No. 1 in points allowed, 2nd in rushing defense allowing 77.7 yards per game, and tops in total yards allowed (300.6).
However, if there is one defensive chink in the armor, it is the Niners’ ability, or lack thereof, to defend against the pass as evidenced by their 20th ranking in that category. Nevertheless, they struck gold with their seventh-round selection in quarterback Brock Purdy who has handled the starting duties with aplomb after Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo went down with injuries.
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: 49ers 24 – Seahawks 13
3. Minnesota Vikings (13-4)
NFC North Champions (+3300 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: New York Giants/Vikings -3 (-110)In an age of superb wide receivers, it is hard to pick the best of the bunch. But the Vikings just may have the most elite pass catcher of them all in Justin Jefferson. The 23-year-old sensation out of LSU is already a 2x All-Pro and led the league this season with over 1800 receiving yards.
And although this offense can be explosive when all cylinders are clicking, we should note that defensively Minnesota ranks 30th in points allowed which is a big reason why they are 7-9-1 against the number this season.
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: Vikings 24 – Giants 17
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
NFC South Champions (+1600 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: Dallas Cowboys/Buccaneers +3 (-118)There is only one reason why the sub-.500 Tampa Bay Bucs have Super Bowl odds as low as they are – Tom Brady. And although TB12 has shown more than mere glimpses of his 45-year-old body failing to react as swiftly as it has in the past, we should also note that Brady ended with 25 touchdowns and 9 interceptions while throwing for 4,694 yards and connecting on 66.8% of his passes.
Not Bradyesque but statistically better than his 2019 season when he tossed 24 touchdown passes and 8 picks for 4,057 yards with a 60.8 completion percentage in his last year in New England. The Bucs certainly didn’t look like a playoff team in their season finale when they fell, 30-17, to the lowly Falcons.
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: Cowboys 29 – Buccaneers 17
5. Dallas Cowboys (12-5)
NFC East 2nd Place (+1100 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Cowboys -2.5 (-122)The Cowboys looked like anything but a playoff-bound team when they were manhandled, 26-6, by the Washington Commanders in their final regular season contest. Dallas came out flat as a board despite going all in and playing their starters.
Dak Prescott is on a seven-game interception streak, the longest of his career, and was a dismal 14-of-37 for 128 yards against a Washington pass defense that is among the better units in the league. However, the Cowboys’ rushing attack was stymied as well, gaining only 64 yards.
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: Cowboys 29 – Buccaneers 17
6. New York Giants (9-7-1)
NFC East 3rd Place (+6600 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: Minnesota Vikings/Giants +3 (-107)The Giants may have snuck through the backdoor of the playoffs with a 9-7-1 record but they busted the bookies’ bankrolls throughout the season with a stunning 13-4 ATS mark.
Their starters should be well-rested for their visit to Minnesota as many of them, including quarterback Daniel Jones, sat out the season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, a game in which they lost, 22-16, but easily covered as 17-point road dogs.
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: Vikings 24 – Giants 17
7. Seattle Seahawks (9-8)
NFC West 2nd Place (+15,000 to win Super Bowl)
Wild Card Round Opponent: San Francisco 49ers/Seahawks +10 (-108)Despite what should be a quick exit from the postseason after they meet the powerhouse 49ers, this year has to be considered a sweet success in Seattle after dealing away Russell Wilson for a king’s bounty of draft picks.
As the long shot on the board at +15,000 to win the Super Bowl not much is expected of this Seahawks’ club but they do enter the postseason with a little head of steam after defeating the Jets and Rams to end their season.
Predicted Wild Card Round Score: 49ers 24 – Seahawks 13
