by Now that the NFL playoff field is set, there are no more complicated scenarios to consider. Win four straight games (three if you’re Chiefs or Eagles) and Super Bowl LVII is yours.
Before placing your futures bets on Conference Champions and Super Bowl Winners or fill out your postseason bracket, let’s meet each team battling for the Lombardi Trophy. In the AFC they are the Chiefs, Bills, Bengals, Jaguars, Chargers, Ravens and Dolphins. And the NFC represent the Eagles, 49ers, Vikings, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Giants and Seahawks.
Below are betting profiles for the seven AFC teams, complete with records, key betting info, offensive and defensive averages, first round opponents, futures odds and more.
1. Chiefs of Kansas City
Recording: 14-3
Against the spread record: 6-10-1
Over/Under Record: 8-9
Points per game (Rank): 29.1 (1)
Allowed points per game (Rank): 21.7 (16)
Wildcard opponents: BYE
Odds of winning AFC: +150 (First)
Odds of winning the Super Bowl: +350 (First)
the bosses ended the year on a five-game winning streak and clinched first place in the AFC Broncos and a 30-25 win in overtime against the texan. Kansas City showed weaknesses on defense late in the season but was MVP favorite quarterback Patrick Mahomes consistently delivered for the league’s top scorer team. The Chiefs ended strong and beat the robber31-13, in Week 18 to complete the AFC West sweep.
Kansas City goes into the postseason with the second-worst against the spread (ATS) record of any playoff team and two of its losses came to Buffalo (24-20 home) and Cincinnati (27-24 away), its biggest conference rivals. The Chiefs, who have hosted the last four AFC Championships, would play the Bills at a neutral venue if both teams make it this far.
2. Buffalo bills
recording: 13–3
Against the spread record: 8-7-1
Over/Under Record: 6-10
Points per game (Rank): 28.4 (2)
Allowed points per game (Rank): 17.9 (2)
Wildcard opponents: Dolphins (-10.5)
Odds of winning AFC: +200 (second)
Odds of winning the Super Bowl: +400 (second)
The last time buffalo lost was week 10 and his three losses this year totaled eight points. The Bills have the best point difference (+169) in the NFL. Your offensive in good faith is evident with Josh Allen under middle, Stefan Diggs far out and a strong charging attack passed Devin Singletar. Buffalo has scored 32 or more points in each of its last three games and earned the advantage of hosting at Orchard Park, where it was 7-1 this season. They go into the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak with a 4-3 ATS mark over this stretch.
The Bills have top defense, although two of their best players have the defensive end By Miller and security Micah Hydeare on injured reserve and their secondary is resiliency Damar Hamelin. Buffalo passed their toughest test by beating Kansas City on the road in Week 6, making sure they don’t have to return to Missouri in the event of a rematch. The Bills lost to the Dolphins, their wildcard opponent, 21-19 earlier this season, but they avenged that loss with a 32-29 win in Week 15. It’s also about the quarterback Tua Tagovailoawhose status is up in the air.
3. Cincinnati-Bengal
recording: 12–4
Against the spread record: 12–4
Over/Under Record: 6-9-1
Points per game (Rank): 26.1 (7)
Allowed points per game (Rank): 20.1 (6)
Wildcard opponents: Ravens (-6.5)
Odds of winning AFC: +400 (third)
Odds of winning the Super Bowl: +750 (Fifth)
The reigning AFC champion Bengal are no underdogs in the postseason this time. Winners of eight straight games, they have the conference’s longest active winning streak and are 10-1 in the last 11 after a 2-3 start to the season. Cincinnati has a trio of talented receivers Yes’Marr Chase, Tea Higgins and Tyler Boyd who have a passing quarterback Joe Burrow instructed to get them the ball. Burrow has had fewer sacks than last year, but he still has the sixth-most sacks in the league. Meanwhile, the Bengals’ running game finished the last five in yards per carry.
Cincinnati covered all but one of their games during their current winning streak, with Game of the Week 18 against Baltimore being the only outlier. These two teams meet again at Paycor Stadium a week after the regular season finals, which the Bengals won 27-16, although the Ravens will look more like the team they defeated 19-17 as quarterback in Week 3 Lamar Jackson is actually back.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
recording: 9–8
Against the spread record: 8–9
Over/Under Record: 8-9
Points per game (Rank): 23.8 (10)
Allowed points per game (Rank): 20.6 (12)
Wildcard opponents: Chargers (+1.5)
Odds of winning AFC: +2000 (sixth)
Odds of winning the Super Bowl: +4000 (11th)
Down to 4-8 after an ugly blowout loss, the jaguars penned a highly unlikely comeback from No. 1 pick (in no fewer consecutive years) to AFC South winners. It’s certainly been a roller-coaster season, but coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Trevor Lawrence brought Jacksonville back to the playoffs by defeating the Titans at home in the season finale for their fifth straight win. It wasn’t Lawrence’s best game, and offense totaled 19 rushing yards, but defense delivered the game-winning result, just as it did a few weeks before the win cowboys in overtime.
The secondary, which allows the fifth-highest passing yards in the NFL, can certainly be exploited, which could be a problem against Los Angeles, his wildcard opponent. The Jaguars are taking points at home against the Chargers, an opponent they beat back 38-10 in September. Being the underdog was profitable in the regular season for Jacksonville, who went 7-5 ATS at that position with seven straight wins (SU), one of which was against the Chargers.
5. Chargers from Los Angeles
Recording: 10-7
Against the spread record: 11-5-1
Over/Under Record: 6-10-1
Points per game (Rank): 23.0 (13)
Allowed points per game (Rank): 22.6 (22)
Wildcard opponents: Jaguars (-1.5)
Odds of winning AFC: +1000 (fourth)
Odds of winning the Super Bowl: +2200 (seventh)
A year away from narrowly missing out on the playoffs, the Charger heading into the postseason for the first time as quarterback JustinHerberts career. Despite a barely positive point difference, Los Angeles finished with a stellar ATS record, going 4-0-1 in their last five games. Injuries to stars on offense (tackle Rashawn Shalerecipient Keenan Allen) and defense (cornerback JC Jackson) has fulfilled this team’s potential in the regular season, but Allen is back on form and mike williams (back) is expected to be active against the Jaguars after being eliminated early in Week 18.
The Chargers have playmakers at every level of defense Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack and Durwin James, although they still allow the second most points per game among AFC playoff teams. LA’s worst performance this season came at home from first-round opponents Jacksonville, although that game came just a week after Herbert injured a rib in a narrow loss to the Chiefs. The Chargers go to Florida with a 7-2 ATS mark on the road, second best in the NFL.
6. Baltimore Ravens
Recording: 10-7
Against the spread record: 7–9–1
Over/Under Record: 5-12
Points per game (Rank): 20.6 (19)
Allowed points per game (Rank): 18.5 (3)
Wildcard opponents: Bengal (+6.5)
Odds of winning AFC: +1600 (Fifth)
Odds of winning the Super Bowl: +3300 (10th)
the ravens are perhaps the biggest joker. The status of Jackson (knee), who last played Week 13, is unclear. He was expected to return on Christmas Eve, which came and went when the former MVP was still sidelined. Baltimore was 8-4 with Jackson and 2-3 without him as well Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown took over. The Ravens stuttered to the finish line without him, dropped three of their last four games, failed to score more than 17 points in any of their last six games and thwarted efforts by a strong defense. After acquiring Linebacker Roquan Smith Midseason, Baltimore allowed 20 or more points only twice.
Even with Jackson healthy, the Ravens haven’t beaten teams through the air, though he unlocks a tight end Mark Andrews, the most receptive threat on the team. This is a run-first offense and Jackson is key in making it work, like in Week 5 when they beat the Bengals on a Justin Tucker field target. Baltimore is 3-1-1 ATS as an underdog with two wins SU. The current wild card spread will be the second most points the Ravens earn all season.
7. Miami Dolphins
Recording: 9-8
Against the spread record: 9-8
Over/Under Record: 8-9
Points per game (Rank): 23.4 (11)
Allowed points per game (Rank): 23.5 (24)
Wildcard opponents: Bills (+10.5)
Odds of winning AFC: +2500 (seventh)
Odds of winning the Super Bowl: +6000 (Tied-13th)
the dolphins are another team going into the playoffs with a question mark at quarterback. Beginner Skylar Thompson defeat nozzles in Week 18 to punch Miami’s ticket, but he was the third option alongside Tagovailoa, who is on concussion record for the second time this season and hasn’t played in two weeks, and Teddy Bridgewater, who had an injured finger on his throwing hand. The Dolphins avoided an all-time collapse by getting past New York in the Finals, but before that they had lost five straight games, four of which were games by one goal. Still, they managed to cover the span in three of their last four games.
There’s talent and speed in this offense, which has been buzzing with Tagovailoa under center as a wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle accounted for more than 3,000 combined reception yards. Offense faltered without Tagovailoa, and defense — which allows the most points per game of any AFC playoff team — didn’t make things any easier. Both the Bills and Dolphins games this year have been close, and so much of this matchup will depend on Tagovailoa being cleared to play.
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