The Conference Championship matchups are set. The four teams that remain are the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and Kansas City Chiefs.
Before we jump into this weekend’s matchups and our best bets for each game, let’s quickly run through the Divisional Round and some of the most exciting moments - because there were a lot of them.
Bet on the NFL
Divisional Round Recap
The Divisional Round began with yet another Chiefs win. Kansas City has dominated the Divisional Round because of Patrick Mahomes,k and they ended Houston’s season with a 23-14 win. The next game featured the Lions, who were 9.5-point favorites, against the Commanders in Detroit. In a shocking upset, the Commanders won 45-31 as Jayden Daniels shredded the Lions defense en route to a second straight upset win.
Sunday started with a snow game in Philadelphia as the Eagles beat the Rams 28-22. The game's biggest storyline was Saquon Barkley, who ran for over 200 rushing yards against the Rams for the second time this season. The day concluded in Buffalo between the Ravens and Bills, which had been considered the game of the week. The Bills jumped out to an early lead, but a second-half comeback led by Lamar Jackson brought them back into the game. However, a drop by Mark Andrews during the 2-point conversion gave Buffalo the 2-point win.
Conference Championship Preview
The games will kick off on Sunday afternoon and evening. Can the Commanders continue their Cinderella run of upsets? Can Josh Allen finally beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs? Let’s get into it!
Washington Commanders vs Philadelphia Eagles
It’s been two months since the Commanders lost a game. They ended the regular season winning 5 straight games and continued their winning streak into the playoffs as they defeated the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay and the Lions in Detroit. Washington’s upset win over the Lions shocked the world because they not only scored 45 points but also because they limited Jared Goff and the highest-scoring offense to just 31 points.
As for the Eagles, they were able to rely on Barkley throughout the game. The snowy conditions limited Jalen Hurts to just 128 yards through the air, giving Barkley the opportunity for 26 carries. He rushed for 205 yards with 2 scores and was the center of the offense. Expect Barkley to continue to dominate on the ground, but the Commanders look like the better team in the passing attack and have all the momentum right now. Take Washington to keep the game close.
OUR PICK: COMMANDERS +6.5 (-120)
Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs
Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes will meet in the playoffs once again. Allen and the Bills have looked great in the playoffs thus far, as they beat the Broncos by 24 in the Wild Card Round and then the Ravens by 2 points last weekend. Buffalo was able to limit Derrick Henry’s dominance on the ground, which forced Lamar Jackson into difficult throwing situations. That was one of the keys to their success on defense. On offense, the plan was simple: keep the ball in Allen’s hands and let him work.
The Chiefs moved to 7-0 in the Divisional Round under Patrick Mahomes with their win over the Texans last weekend. Mahomes was smart with the ball in the pocket, and he found Travis Kelce for 7 catches for 117 yards with a touchdown. Kansas City didn’t have much success rushing the ball, but that didn’t matter since their defense was fantastic. They limited the Texans in the red zone and sacked C.J. Stroud 8 times. Oddsmakers have listed the Chiefs as 1.5-point favorites, but I’m going the other way with the underdogs.
OUR PICK: BILLS +1.5 (-110)
