3 minute read
The NFL playoffs are here and we've taken a look ahead to the best bets of the Divisional Round.
Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills
Bengals +4.5 $1.93
The good news for the Bills is they are still winning games, the bad news is they look a long way off that week one team that put the whole league on notice. Josh Allen is continuing to pile up yards and points but an increase in turnovers is starting to result in opposing teams keeping pace with the Bills. The loss of Von Miller midseason was certainly a huge one and the defense has never seemed to regain that dominance they once had. Cincinnati, on the other hand, hasn't lost since November 1 in that Halloween game against the Browns. While admittedly not a great game from them, the Bengals have responded magnificently, taking down every challenge that came their way including a win against the Chiefs. We got a small peak at what this matchup could look like in week 17 before Damar Hamlin's tragic accident, in that time, we saw the Bengals offense move the ball easily against the Bills. The +4.5 is a big spread in a Divisional Round game, let alone between two of the powerhouses of the league. A close game should be certain and I could see the Bengals winning this outright.
Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers
Cowboys +3.5 $1.97
The Cowboys showed their class in the first week of playoffs, completely dismantling the Buccaneers and taking advantage of the easy matchup. Now the challenge becomes more difficult, with the 49ers next up. Brock Purdy has still never lost a game as the starting quarterback for the Niners and the team looks the best it has all season. Any one of George Kittle, Deebo Samuel or Christian Mccaffrey can take a game over with two of them often doing it at the same time. Dallas, however, are better than some might think, overshadowed by their divisional rivals in Philadelphia. The Cowboys boast an elite defense as well as an offense that we just saw light it up. Dak Prescott is truly special when he turns it on, and Tampa Bay just found that out. While the 49ers rightly have the edge in this one, I like Dallas to keep it close in an entertaining game.