NFL Wild-Card Weekend Predictions: Best Picks Against the Spread
That continued this season with the Chargers, Broncos, Vikings and Commanders all making it after not in the 2023 campaign. Here’s a look at the Wild-Card Weekend schedule with NFL odds.
Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans, Saturday
Los Angeles is in the playoffs as the AFC’s top Wild-Card team (No. 5 seed) in Coach Jim Harbaugh’s first season. The Chargers closed on a three-game winning streak after a 34-20 victory on Sunday in Las Vegas. The Bolts finished with the league’s No. 1 scoring defence (17.7 PPG) for the first time since 1963. Fourth-seeded Houston had no reason to care Sunday locked in as the AFC South champion but played starters for a bit in a 23-14 win at Tennessee. It’s the first postseason matchup between these franchises. Their last meeting was October 2022 with L.A. winning 34-24 in Houston.
Pick ATS: Houston (alternate line of +3.5)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, Saturday
Third meeting of the season between the AFC North rivals with Pittsburgh as the AFC’s No. 6 seed and Baltimore as the No. 3 and North champion after a 35-10 win over Cleveland on Sunday. Lamar Jackson became the first player ever with at least 4,000 yards passing and 900 yards rushing in a season, and the Ravens the first club with at least 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards. They closed the season on a four-game winning streak, while Pittsburgh finished on a four-game slide. They split the season series, each winning at home.
Pick ATS: Pittsburgh (alternate line of +10)
Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills, Sunday
Denver earned the AFC’s final Wild-Card spot on Sunday and the No. 7 seed by trouncing visiting Kansas City 38-0 with the Chiefs resting starters. The Broncos are in the playoffs for the first time since winning their last Super Bowl following the 2015 season. Rookie QB Bo Nix was marvelous and the Broncos led the NFL with 63 sacks this year. With the AFC East title and No. 2 seed locked up, the Bills rested their starters Sunday in a loss at New England. Buffalo QB Josh Allen almost surely will be the regular-season MVP. It’s the first playoff meeting between these two since the 1991 AFC title game.
Pick ATS: Denver
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday
Even though the Packers were locked in as a Wild-Card team, they played some starters Sunday vs. Chicago and both QB Jordan Love and No. 1 WR Christian Watson left the 24-22 loss injured. There doesn’t seem to be much concern on Love, but Watson may have suffered a serious issue for the seventh-seeded Packers. Philly was locked in the No. 2 seed as NFC East champion so it rested starters Sunday but beat the Giants anyways. These clubs played in Week 1 on a Friday night in Brazil, and the Eagles won 34-29 behind three total TDs from tailback Saquon Barkley.
Pick ATS: Philadelphia
Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday
The Bucs are the third seed as NFC South champions for a fourth straight season. In Sunday’s win over New Orleans to clinch the division, future Hall of Fame wideout Mike Evans had 89 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for an 11th straight season, tying Jerry Rice for the NFL record. Sixth-seeded Washington was one of the big surprises in the league led by QB and likely NFL Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. His NFL debut was Sept. 8 in Tampa, a 37-20 loss.
Pick ATS: Tampa Bay (alternate line of -3)
Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams, Monday
The Vikings had a chance to earn the NFC North title and conference’s top seed on Sunday night with a win in Detroit but were routed 31-9 to slip to the fifth seed. QB Sam Darnold has had a career season, but this game might be his last with the team as a pending free agent. This will be his playoff debut. The fourth-seeded and NFC West champion Rams had nothing to play for in Week 18 so they rested starters. The Rams beat the visiting Vikings in Week 8 by a score of 30-20 behind four Matthew Stafford TD passes.
Pick ATS: Los Angeles (alternate line of +3)
