With the NFL’s postseason opening this Saturday, January 9th, the premiere matchup of Wild Card Weekend is between the Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs. Set to air at 4:35 PM EST, the Texans currently stand at number 4 against their upcoming competitors of number 5. Facing off that night, you have the Steelers (# 3) and the Bengals (# 5). Given all of these juicy matchups, many individuals betting on the NFL playoffs are scrambling to gather up all of the insider info for their personal brackets. If you’re looking to make some money off the impending playoff football bets, you should check out the best bets for your dollar below.
AFC’s KC Chiefs at Houston Texans
With one of the most advanced defensive units in the NFL’s postseason, the Houston Texans are a strong contender for Saturday’s matchup with the Chiefs. However, the KC Chiefs are believed to have enough fortitude in the other two game phases to get past to the Wild Card Round. Despite ending the season as the league’s 27th ranked offense, most argue that their track record doesn’t accurately portray them as they won their last 10 games with money to spare.
Averaging 25.3 points per game during the regular season campaign, KC has a secret weapon within their special teams. Though they lack J.J. Watt, their defense is the ideal matchup for the Texans as experts venture to call them the top two defensive units since the regular season’s week 7. Given the equality of this setup, the Chiefs are the smartest option as they hold considerable offensive firepower that swings the odds in their favor.
AFC’s Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Considering the fact that Andy Dalton is being replaced with backup AJ McCarron for Saturday’s game, most consider Steelers vet Ben Roethlisberger to be the obvious go to. However, most would agree that the Steelers have been off since the last few games of regular season. In fact, Roethlisberger threw no touchdowns and had two interceptions in week 16 losing by 3 points. Furthermore, losing their RB DeAngelo Williams to a sprained ankle in week 17 makes them a likely underdog in this matchup. The Bengals are expected to come out on top in this AFC North game.
NFC’s Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings
With the Vikings’ healthy defense, they’re set to attack the Seahawks at full force. This matchup boils down to which team will pull ahead out of the gate. If Seattle can pull a lead out swiftly, they may just take away Adrian Peterson’s momentum forcing the Vikings to pass the football. If this comes to fruition, Seattle’s defense should be capable of shutting down Teddy Bridgewater and the entire Viking passing game.
NFC’s Green Bay Packers at Washington Redskins
As the Packers offense continues to be lacking, Aaron Rodgers remains a hopeful. Many have noticed the Packers buckling under the weight of consistent injuries in their offensive line. Plus, with receivers who simply don’t get open and a WB who’s lacking accuracy, Washington seems to be the clear choice.