Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (92) reaches in on Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams (30) during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The road to the NFL’s final four features seven of the eight division winners.
Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open the divisional round weekend against C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans on Saturday afternoon.
Rookie sensation Jayden Daniels leads the Washington Commanders against the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions in a prime-time matchup. Daniels helped the Commanders upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a wild-card game.
Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles host the Los Angeles Rams, who are coming off a short week following a Monday night win, in the early game Sunday.
Then it’s Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to cap the weekend.
Three of the home teams are favorites by at least six points, according to Bet MGM Sportsbook.
Houston (11-7) at Kansas City (15-2)
Line: Chiefs minus 8 1/2
Kansas City’s quest for a three-peat starts against the Texans, who are coming off an impressive 32-12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Stroud made big plays with his arm and even had a career-long 27-yard run that sparked the offense against Los Angeles. Houston’s defense baffled Justin Herbert, forcing four interceptions, including a pair by All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley. If Stroud and the offense avoid turnovers and Joe Mixon has another 100-yard game rushing, the Texans can keep Mahomes off the field and have a chance to pull off the upset.
The Chiefs beat the Texans 27-19 in Week 16. They were home for that one, too. Houston lost wide receiver Tank Dell to a knee injury on a touchdown catch in that game. Mahomes finished the season with 11 TDs and zero picks in his last six games. After sitting out in Week 18 and a bye, Mahomes and most of the starters have to avoid being rusty in their first game action in three weeks.
The Chiefs are 8-0 with Mahomes in the divisional and wild-card rounds. They’re 6-0 against the spread in their past six playoff games. But Kansas City is 22-32-3 ATS as a favorite of at least seven points with Mahomes, including 0-5-1 this season.
CHIEFS: 27-17
Washington (13-5) at Detroit (15-2)
Line: Lions minus 9 1/2
The Commanders keep finding ways to win late with five straight victories coming down to the final play. The victory in Tampa Bay was the franchise’s first playoff win since 2006. Daniels connected often with Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown, but Washington will need Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler to run more effectively to have a chance against Detroit. A defense that held Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers to their worst game in eight weeks has to step up against the most dynamic offense in the NFL.
The Lions could get running back David Montgomery back to join Jahmyr Gibbs in an elite backfield. That should open things up even more for Jared Goff throwing to All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and other playmakers.
Since the NFL expanded to 14 playoff teams with only two getting a bye, No. 1 seeds are 3-5 against the spread in the divisional round.
Teams that won as an underdog in the wild-card round are 2-20 straight up and 10-12 ATS in the divisional round.
LIONS: 30-24
Los Angeles Rams (11-7) at Philadelphia (15-3)
Line: Eagles minus 6
Jalen Hurts shook off the rust after a three-week layoff and the Eagles relied on a stout defense to beat the Packers 22-10 last week.
The Rams used a dominant defensive effort to eliminate the Vikings, sacking Sam Darnold nine times in a 27-9 victory. Getting to Hurts won’t be that easy behind an offensive line that features five guys who received All-Pro votes.
Plus, the Eagles are going to run the ball often with Barkley, who set a franchise record with 255 yards rushing in a 37-20 win in Los Angeles on Nov. 24.
Rams coach Sean McVay vs. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio should be a classic head-to-head matchup. Matthew Stafford had success throwing against Philly’s No. 1 defense in the previous meeting. He connected with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp 17 times for 177 of his 243 yards passing.
The Rams have to travel cross-country and have one less day of rest following a Monday night win. But McVay is 16-7 against the spread on short rest, going 7-1 ATS in his past eight games. With Stafford at quarterback, McVay is 8-2 ATS on short rest
Still, playing in Philadelphia in January is different and the Eagles are 6-0 straight up at home in the divisional round, covering the spread in five of those games.
BEST BET: EAGLES: 29-17
Baltimore (13-5) at Buffalo (13-4)
Line: Ravens minus 1
Jackson vs. Allen gets all the hype but this isn’t going to decide the NFL MVP. Votes were cast before the playoffs started. Jackson, who earned All-Pro honors, led Baltimore to a 28-14 win against Pittsburgh last week while Allen and the Bills routed Denver 31-7.
The Ravens put a 35-10 beatdown on the Bills at home in Week 4. They’re road favorites, a sign of disrespect for Buffalo. The Bills haven’t been home underdogs in the playoffs since 1967 against the Chiefs.
Buffalo’s defense has a tough task trying to slow down Jackson and Derrick Henry. Greg Rousseau, Von Miller and Ed Oliver need to pressure Jackson and somehow keep him contained.
Baltimore has to do the same against an offense led by Allen and James Cook. Ravens rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins on Bills rookie receiver Keon Coleman should be a fun matchup.
The Bills have been trying to get back to the AFC title game after three straight losses in this round.
UPSET SPECIAL: BILLS: 30-27
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Last week: Straight up: 4-2. Against spread: 3-3.
Overall: Straight up: 196-82. Against spread: 147-127-4.
Best Bet: Straight up: 11-7. Against spread: 10-8.
Upset Special: Straight up: 9-9. Against spread: 9-9.
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Pro Picks is a weekly column where AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi shares his picks for upcoming games. For all previous Pro Picks, head here.
FILE – Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) waves after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. Kelce will bring his highly successful music festival called Kelce Jam back to Kansas City. The second annual one-day event held on May 18 will be hosted by the superstar tight end of the Chiefs and headlined by Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Diplo and local legend Tech N9ne. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
RANT SPORTS – As Super Bowl LIX Beckons, Football Fans Gravitate to Key Stats and Storylines
On February 9, 2025, the NFC and AFC Conference Champions will meet at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, for Super Bowl LIX. Football fans have been piling into the action all season to make their picks and predictions for the winner.
As Super Bowl Sunday beckons, there will be a tsunami of interest in the many different forms of football betting. Last year, the Super Bowl set records for American wagering, with some $23 billion bet. This year, seeing the popularity of the big game, platforms are going all out to appeal to this mass of betting interest.
So, there are plenty of offers bouncing around and unique ways to bet on the outcomes of Super Bowl LIX. Keep reading to explore these novel options and discover some stats to keep in mind for the potential Super Bowl contenders this year.
A Diverse Landscape for Super Bowl Fans
Every year, betting lines light up with a whole range of quirky selections. For the Super Bowl, prop markets are always a point of interest – and not just for the player lines. The length of the national anthem, style of the halftime performer’s attire, and the color of the winning team’s Gatorade douse are all in the odds.
In daily fantasy sports betting, the lines can also see a bit more variation. With some platforms, you’ll be able to bundle in these once-a-year kind of props. Many will also offer boosts on certain players hitting or missing their under-over lines. Others are adapting the formula entirely for the big game.
At Sleeper, the emphasis is on collaborating with your squad to make top fantasy picks. You’ll all get to select the DFS player lines that you think will happen, bundle them into a picks list, and watch the stats move in real time. With the Super Bowl fast approaching, savvy DFS teams will be claiming a Sleeper promo for NFL betting like this.
With the offer, each player will get a $55 bonus cash offer after playing $5. So, naturally, many teams will open an account, make the $10 deposit, play $5 on an upcoming game of the NFL, NBA, or anything else, and then get their 11 $5 bonus wagers to use on the big game.
What to Keep in Mind for the Super Bowl
On the NFC side, coming into the Conference Championships, Jayden Daniels absolutely had the upper hand on the Eagles’ QB, who’d suffered a concussion and then a leg injury. However, the Philadelphia defense ranked as the best in the NFL by quite some margin, only allowing 278.4 yards on average. It was Philadelphia that romped to an easy 55-23 victory.
Over in AFC territory, the Super Bowl machine that are the Kansas City Chiefs might have a shot at history with the unheard-of three-peat, after their 32-29 win over the Bills. There’s also Travis Kelce’s shot at unseating one of Jerry Rice’s long-standing records. With just three receptions in the big game, Kelce would overtake Rice’s haul of 33 takes at the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LIX promises to be a fascinating game, with a second matchup of these two teams in three years. That contest came down to the final seconds, but who will win this one?
The bigger question here is, where will fans be placing their bets for the colossal event?
William Byron (24) and Kyle Busch (18) race into turn one during the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
RANT SPORTS – NASCAR likes to open with a short track exhibition
A week before heading to Daytona for the 2025 NASCAR season, they will kick off the year with an exhibition race on Saturday night under the lights. The event, known as The Cookout will take place at Bowman Gray Stadium, a NASCAR-sanctioned quarter-mile asphalt flat oval short track and a historic football stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The race, also known as The Clash, will mark the debut for several new drivers. Two of the top young talents making their NASCAR Cup Series debuts are Tim Brown for Rick Racing and Burt Myers for Team Amerivet.
This race also features the Front Row Motorsports debut for Noah Gragson and the return of Zane Smith that team. Additionally, Todd Gilliland will be driving the flagship No. 38 after three seasons in the No. 34. Furthermore, Josh Berry iin the iconic Wood Brothers No. 21 Ford.
Some familiar names with new and full season rides
AJ Allmendinger has returned to Kaulig Racing full-time, while Riley Herbst has joined 23XI Racing. Cole Custer is back now full time at the Haas Factory Team. Cody Ware is also time in the family-owned No. 51.
Ryan Preece is debuting for RFK Racing and Michael McDowell has moved to Spire Motorsports. Shane Van Gisbergen is racing full-time in Cup for Trackhouse Racing
Here is the full list of cars the teams
1 | Ross Chastain | Phil Surgen | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
2 | Austin Cindric | Brian Wilson | Team Penske | Ford
3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Boswell | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet
4 | Noah Gragson | Drew Blickensderfer | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
24 | William Byron | Rudy Fugle | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet
34 | Todd Gilliland | Chris Lawson | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
35 | Riley Herbst | Davin Restivo | 23XI Racing | Toyota
38 | Zane Smith | Ryan Bergentry | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
41 | Cole Custer | Aaron Kramer | Haas Factory Team | Ford
42| John Hunter Nemechek | Travis Mack | Legacy Motor Club | Toyota
43| Erik Jones | Ben Beshore | Legacy Motor Club | Toyot
45 | Tyler Reddick | Billy Scott | 23XI Racing | Toyota
47| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Mike Kelley | HYAK Racing | Ford
48| Alex Bowman | Blake Harris | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet
50 | Burt Myers | Tony Eury Jr. | Team Amerivet | Chevrolet
51 | Justin Haley | Billy Plourde |Rick Ware Racing | Ford
54 | Ty Gibbs | Tyler Allen | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota
60 | Ryan Preece | Derrick Finley | RFK Racing | Ford
66 | Garrett Smithley | Carl Long | Garage 66 | Ford
71 | Michael McDowell | Travis Peterson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet
77 | Carson Hocevar | Luke Lambert | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet
88 | Shane Van Gisbergen | Stephen Doran | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
99 | Daniel Suarez | Matt Swiderski | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
Where to watch and listen to the race
Practice and qualifying is set for 6:10 on FS1 and heat races are set for 8:30 on FS1. The last chance race is set for 6 p.m. on Sunday on FOX and the main event is scheduled for 8 on FOX.
