With the regular campaign in the books, now the fun really begins as the NFL playoffs kick off with Super Wild Card Weekend taking place over Saturday, Sunday and Monday night.
As AFC and NFC top seeds the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles get the week off as they wait in the final eight, who will join them in the Divisional playoffs?
We’ve been casting our eye over all six games and checking out some of the best offers out there.
*All prices with SkyBet unless stated
Getting us under way, a dark horse with many to win a first Super Bowl since 1994, the San Francisco 49ers take on a Seattle Seahawks side who limped into the post-season by way of the Detroit Lions beating Green Bay at Lambeau Field last Sunday.
Though bigger tests are to come for Kyle Shanahan, this weekend the Niners will surely be too strong for the Seahawks and a handicap win of -10 at evens with Bet365 may be a good play.
San Francisco have been led to this point by rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, but their ability to run the football in recent weeks has been ever-present with Christian McCaffrey a shining light.
Having made a cameo this past weekend as he nursed a slight injury, the newly crowned Offensive Player of the Month has over 100 rushing yards and a TD in three of the last four games prior to that and to rush 100+ and score a TD here, a 4/1 boosted price looks tempting. To score two TDs meanwhile, a 9/4 shot with William Hill is similarly appealing.
Next up, an early post-season treat sees the Buffalo Bills host the Miami Dolphins on Saturday with their wintry Orchard Park meeting less than a month ago still fresh in the mind.
Since then, the ‘Fins have lost two of the last three and narrowly squeaked past the Jets on Sunday to merely make it to this point.
Another cold weekend is on the cards and that could see the running game preferred for Miami with Tua Tagovailoa ruled out and Skylar Thompson set to deputise again. The Bills will have too much for the Dolphins but it might be worth a flutter on a Raheem Mostert anytime TD at 13/8.
In Minneapolis, the Minnesota Vikings clash with the New York Giants, with the home side the resounding favourites and holding recent winning playoff experience having made the final eight three years’ back.
For Vikes fans, it will be a comfort to know that even in arrears Kirk Cousins can lead them through the storm and he has the receivers to pick from downfield for a comeback – as they proved in Week 15’s history-making comeback against the Colts.
Justin Jefferson, ranked the best wide receiver this season, has seen a quiet end to the regular campaign, but odds of 9/4 to notch 100+ yards and score a TD look more than promising.
On the flip side, the Giants, in their first playoff game in five years have stood up in the final weeks of the season, particularly their defense. A Giants’ win at 19/13 with SBK still looks a decent punt and it may not be a far-fetched as some would have you believe.
Over in Ohio, the Cincinnati Bengals will be hopeful of the start to another playoff odyssey in 2023 and first up face a replay of their final game of the season from last weekend, as Baltimore travel to the Buckeye State one more time.
The Bengals outclassed the Ravens a week ago with their foot off the gas and it is hard to see any other result than a comfortable win at Paycor.
Joe Burrow played very much in second gear in throwing 215 yards but here we fancy another masterclass and closer to kick-off it could be smart grabbing a RequestABet selection for around 300 passing yards in the region of 7/2.
Sticking with the passing game, one of Wild Card weekend’s big uncertainties in terms of match-ups sees the Jacksonville Jaguars entertain the Los Angeles Chargers.
Either way, this one looks like a good old fashioned game of throw-and-chase and Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert look set to entertain in Florida. For both players to throw 275+ passing yards, a 3/1 shot looks a good shout.
Finally, rounding off the opening weekend of playoff action in some style, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers welcome to the erratic Dallas Cowboys to Raymond James, for a potentially classic Monday Night Football.
An 8-9 record for Tom Brady and the gang does not smell anything like a successful recipe toward another Super Bowl berth, but their opponents are just as flaky with a 50% record in their final four outings of the season.
Indeed, though the Bucs have lost four time in front of the Pirate Ship this term, all but one of the ‘Boys five losses this year have come on the road. The other defeat was in Arlington back in week 1, against – you guessed it – the Bucs. Something has to give.
Even so, Dallas are rightly the 4/5 odds-on picks with the bookies but if Dak Prescott is not on his game and Ezekiel Elliott or Tony Pollard have off days also, a 6/5 price with most bookies on Tampa – and Brady – in front of their own fans, could be made to look foolish.
Looking at some potential acca bets to finish, a four-way RB punt on Austin Ekeler (Chargers), Christian McCaffrey (49ers), Travis Etienne (Jaguars) and Kenneth Walker (Seahawks) all to reach 50+ rushing yards at 3/1 will be a likely punt for us, whilst for the same yardage and teams but in receiving instead, for Keenan Allen (Chargers), George Kittle (49ers), Christian Kirk (Jaguars) and DK Metcalf (Seahawks), a 9/2 price has a great chance to conclude the weekend off in winning style.
