After a smorgasbord of NFL action the last two weeks, die-hard football observers must savor the rest of the season. In fact, only three NFL games remain, with the AFC and NFC Championship games arriving this Sunday and the Super Bowl looming just two weeks from now. As such, the vast majority of the damage is done when it comes to season-long NFL handicapping. Still, there is still opportunity out there and, in this space, the close to the season has been quite positive, including a 4-1 performance in the Divisional Round.
Before we get into this week’s abbreviated card for a two-game slate, let’s check in on the full-year progress.
- Divisional Round: 4-1
- 2020 Season: 50-43-2
Come get these winners.
Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers UNDER 24.5 points in the first half
You’ll need to shop this number around, but there are some 24.5’s left in the market and that is a crucial half-point. At any rate, you will see that this is a (very) light card because, well, these lines are pretty much in the right place. That isn’t too much of a shock for championship weekend, but I do like the first half under in this spot. I’d lean there for the full game as well, but there is the prospect of a passing explosion after halftime. Tampa Bay runs the ball more often than they should, and the Bucs may have a few wrinkles to mess with Aaron Rodgers. Maybe it’ll last until the break.
Kansas City Chiefs (-3) over Buffalo Bills
If you moved quickly on Sunday and snagged the Chiefs at pick’em (or even plus money), congratulations to you. On the flip side, one absence from Patrick Mahomes pretty much renders this -3 meaningless. That is the trade-off here and, in truth, there is some risk. All signs point to Mahomes as a likely participant and, by grabbing this number mid-week, there is the benefit to potentially beating a closing number that could grow to 3.5 or 4. Kansas City’s home-field advantage isn’t the same that it would be under normal circumstances, but it’s something, and the Chiefs being only a field goal favorite in their own building is an auto-fire in a lot of ways. It is oddly comforting that a lot of the public seems to be jumping on the Bills. Lay it.
