The NFL Wild Card round is all set.
After the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football to win the AFC North in a wild game, the playoffs are set.
Here are the final standings and top seven teams in each conference.
AFC:
- 1. Denver Broncos (14-3)
- 2. New England Patriots (14-3)
- 3. Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4)
- 4. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
- 5. Houston Texans (12-5)
- 6. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
- 7. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
NFC:
- 1. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
- 2. Chicago Bears (11-6)
- 3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
- 4. Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- 5. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- 6. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
- 7. Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)
NFL Wild Card Round Is All Set
The Denver Broncos finished as the number one seed in the AFC, and the Seattle Seahawks finished first in the NFC. Both teams will get a bye in the NFL Wild Card round.
Los Angeles Rams(-9.5) @ Carolina Panthers (O/U:46.5)
This contest will take place on Saturday, January 10, and will be seen on FOX.
These two teams squared off in week 13. Carolina defeated LA 31-28.
However, oddsmakers heavily favor the Rams in this contest. Los Angeles is the biggest favorite of any team in the NFL Wild Card round.
Matthew Stafford is a top-two MVP favorite, and the Rams are expected to have Davante Adams back.
The Panthers needed the Falcons to beat the Saints in week 18 to get in because they lost to the Bucs on Saturday.
Despite the Panthers defeating the Rams in week 13, the Rams are the much better team. It will be a very tough task for Carolina to defeat LA once again.
Green Bay Packers(-1.5) @ Chicago Bears (O/U: 45.5)
This contest will take place on Saturday, January 10, and will be seen on Amazon Prime.
Green Bay and Chicago is one of the best rivalries in NFL history.
The division rivals squared off twice this season, with each team winning one game. Each team won at home.
Both games were very good games, and each was decided by one score.
This NFL Wild Card round meeting will be no different.
Green Bay will be without its prized acquisition and best defensive player for this game, as Micah Parsons tore his ACL late in the season.
Chicago is coming off two straight losses to end the season. They played their starters in week 18, but still lost to a Detroit Lions team that had nothing to play for.
This is shaping up to be a great game, and will likely once again be a one-score game.
Buffalo Bills(-1.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (O/U:51.5)
This contest will take place on Sunday, January 11, and will be seen on CBS.
There may not be a better story in the NFL this season than the resurgence of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Liam Coen has done a terrific job in his first year as the head coach for the Jags.
Oddsmakers are taking the Jags so seriously that they have the Josh Allen-led Bills only as a 1.5-point favorite.
Allen is a top two QB in the NFL, yet the Jags are just 1.5 point underdogs.
Jacksonville’s defense will determine this game, and how they perform. If they can manage to get some stops against Allen, the Jags with Trevor Lawrence can pull off something nobody thought was conceivable in the preseason, which is the Jags defeating the Bills in the playoffs.
However, it is easier said than done to stop Allen. It is also very possible that Allen takes over the game and wins the game himself for the Bills.
This could be the best game of the NFL Wild Card round.
San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles(-3.5) (O/U: 46.5)
This contest will take place on Sunday, January 11, and will be seen on FOX.
The fact that San Francisco even made the playoffs and won 12 games this season with all the injuries they had to deal with is a big nod to Kyle Shanan’s brilliance. No team had to overcome as many injuries to star players as the 49ers have had to this season.
Philadelphia is looking to repeat as Super Bowl champs. To do so, they will need their offense to step up in the postseason. Their defense is up to the challenge, but their offense has not.
This is a good game as the 49ers’ weakness is on defense, but the Eagles’ weakness has been their offense.
San Francisco’s strength is their offense but Philly’s strength is their defense.
This is shaping up to be a very good game.
Los Angeles Chargers @ New England Patriots(-3.5) (O/U:46.5)
This contest will take place on Sunday, January 11, and will be seen on NBC.
If the Los Angeles Chargers had Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt on their offensive line, they would look like major threats in the AFC. Fortunately for them, the Patriots struggle to pressure the QB. The Chargers have a good defense to slow Drake Maye down a bit.
Mike Vrabel has done a terrific job with the Patriots in his first season as their head coach. Drake Maye, along with Stafford, is the top two favorites to win MVP. The Patriots struggle to generate a pass rush, but the Chargers are without two of the best offensive tackles in the league in Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.
This is another good game, as most games in the Wild Card round are.
Houston Texans(-3.5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (O/U:39.5)
This contest will take place on Monday, January 12, and will be seen on ABC.
Houston enters the NFL Wild Card round on a nine-game winning streak. They have one of the best defenses in the league. Demeco Ryans is an excellent head coach. The Texans have the kind of team that can win a Super Bowl.
The Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC North in the last game of the regular season after Tyler Loop missed a game-winning field goal attempt. Pittsburgh’s offense now has to deal with Houston’s suffocating defense.
This will come down to how the Steelers’ defense plays because the Texans will certainly make it very difficult for Rodgers and the offense.
Another good game to round out the NFL Wild Card round.
