NFL Divisional Playoffs odds: Best bets against the spread
By Brad Rowland
Running down the best bets against the spread for the Divisional Round.
Day one of the NFL Playoffs wasn’t exactly kind to us in this space, as the Pittsburgh Steelers blew a 15-point lead for a non-cover and, well, the Houston Texans failed to show up to the stadium. Fortunately, Sunday’s slate was much nicer for those who rode with us, and a winning overall week was the result.
Now, we take a look ahead at round two of the NFL Playoffs with five additional picks against the spread, and with only eight teams jockeying for a berth in the Super Bowl, the stakes are quite high. Before we get to the picks, though, let’s reflect on the season-long performance.
- Last week: 3-1
- Season: 48-40-2
Making money (er, jelly beans) is hard in the world of NFL handicapping, but we’ve managed to do that to this point. Still, you may freely choose to fade these picks, and I couldn’t argue that much with that decision. Let’s do this.
New England Patriots (-5) over Kansas City Chiefs
Bill Belichick vs. Andy Reid.
Tom Brady vs. Alex Smith.
I’m not sure how to talk myself into the Chiefs, and with that in my mind, I won’t. Kansas City continues to roll along with an absurd winning streak and, to be candid, the Chiefs have bitten me on multiple occasions during their run. However, the Patriots in Foxboro are simply a different animal, and this line is at least two points too low.
There are legitimate concerns about New England’s health and the way the Patriots ended the season, but with a line of less than a touchdown, I simply can’t take the dog.
Next: Pats-Chiefs and Cards-Packers