The Redskins are quietly on a roll going into the NFL Wild Card weekend. (Photo credit: Keith Allison via Foter.com / CC BY-SA)
Road teams are favoured in 3 of the 4 NFL Wild Card playoff games this weekend, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see all 4 visitors favoured before kickoff.
In the AFC Wild Card odds for Saturday, the Chiefs are 3-point favourites at the Texans and the Steelers are laying 2.5 points at the Bengals.
On Sunday’s NFC Wild Card odds, the Seahawks are 5-point favourites at the Vikings and the Packers are 1-point underdogs at the Redskins.
NFL Wild Card Odds
(All of these odds were current as of Monday morning. Be sure to check our Odds Page for the updated NFL Wild Card odds.)
NFL Wild Card Preview
It’s pretty easy to understand why oddsmakers are giving the road teams so much respect in this weekend’s Wild Card games.
The Chiefs won 2 more games than the Texans and, more importantly, are on a 10-game winning streak. The Steelers already won in Cincinnati this year and the Bengals are without QB Andy Dalton. The Seahawks are, well, the Seahawks, and have won 8 of their last 10 games. The Packers have Aaron Rodgers and were 1 game better than the Redskins, who won the NFC East with a mediocre 9-7 record.
On paper, it’s easy to pick all the road teams for these reasons. However, don’t forget:
- Houston has won 3 in a row and is 7-2 in its last 9 games, including a win in Cincinnati (when Dalton was playing.) The Texans held opponents to 10 points or less in 6 games this year.
- The Bengals are 2-1 without Dalton starting at QB, and that loss came in overtime at Denver. Cincy also limited the Steelers to 10 points in Pittsburgh Nov. 1.
- The Vikings closed out the year with 3 straight wins, all by a TD or more, and their last loss came by 3 points in Arizona. 5 points is a lot for a home underdog to be catching in the playoffs.
- Washington won its last 4 games of the regular season, scoring 24 points or more in all of them. Over their last 3 games, the Skins have averaged 36 points (the Packers scored more than 31 points just once this season).
NFL Wild Card Betting Picks
There’s reasons to like both teams in all the NFL Wild Card games this weekend. For right now, our leans are:
- Texans +3 (we’d love to get 3.5 points at home with this defence, and think the line will get there)
- Steelers -2.5 (Pittsburgh has had the Bengals’ number in Cincy over the years, and the Bengals are known for early playoff exits)
- Seahawks -5.5 (red-hot experienced Seattle team versus an inexperienced Vikings squad)
- Redskins -1 (we know better than to write off the Packers, but there’s nothing to like about how they’re playing)
Be sure to check back later in the week for our official NFL Wild Card Betting Picks. Or sign up for our emails to get our picks, articles and news of sportsbook bonus promotions delivered directly to your Inbox.