The Bookie Brief: Betting On The NFL Playoff Divisional Round 1/15/2021

• The Browns-Chiefs playoff game has the highest O/U of any Divisional Round matchup at 57.5.
• Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams has -165 odds to score a touchdown in the Divisional Round.
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are +140 underdogs on the moneyline against the New Orleans Saints (-160).

NEW ORLEANS — The NFL postseason is underway as the final eight teams battle for a shot at playing in Super Bowl LV which will be held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Divisional Round of the playoff features lucrative matchups across the NFC and AFC.

Those betting on the NFL this weekend will have no shortage of props and lines to sift through.

For each Divisional Round matchup we’ve got the betting lines from Bovada and two best bets for each game.

Saturday Divisional Round Games

The Los Angeles Rams pulled off the upset against their NFC West rival in the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card round. The Green Bay Packers make their postseason debut and are favored to beat the LA Rams by a touchdown.

NFL MVP favorite Aaron Rodgers has led the Packers to the top seed in the NFC for the second year in a row. If looking to bet on the Rams the +255 moneyline odds are a strong play especially considering the Rams defense. If Betting ATS here keep in mind that in the last three meetings between the Rams-Packers, Green Bay has covered the spread every time (3-0 ATS).

The health of Rams QB Jared Goff will have a huge impact on both of these betting lines. With that uncertaintly, bettors may want to look elsewhere in the sportsbook.

Best Bet: Anytime Scorer – Davante Adams (GB) (-165)

Davante Adams scored the most receiving touchdowns in the NFL this season with 18. Although he will likely be facing shadow coverage from Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, Adams is still the best bet to score a touchdown at some point in this game. The connection between Rodgers and Adams has been the engine that drives the Packers offense this season.

The second Saturday matchup will be between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills. All eyes will be on both teams’ young quarterbacks in this game as Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen look to make it further than they’ve ever been in the postseason. The Bills are narrowly favored to win this game by 2.5 points over the Ravens and this game has the closest spread of any of the Divisional Round games.

Josh Allen going over 40.5 rushing yards against the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round is the best for this game. The Ravens defense has the cornerbacks to cover the Bills wide receivers and that could lead to Josh Allen having to use his feet to extend plays. In the Wild Card round against a stiff Indianapolis Colts defense Allen rushed 11 times for 54 yards and a touchdown. While he may not rush 11 times, the opportunity to takeoff and run will be there for Allen, especially since the Bills will be without running back Zack Moss in this game.

Sunday Divisional Round Games

The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs make their playoff debut as they look to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the New England Patriots did it in 2003-2004. The Cleveland Browns notched their first playoff win in nearly a decade in the Wild Card round but they’re an underdog yet again as sportsbooks have them losing to the Chiefs by a touchdown and a field goal. If thinking about taking the Browns to cover that 10-point spread keep in mind that they’re 7-10 ATS this season.

Best Bet: Patrick Mahomes to Have 3+ Passing Touchdowns and KC to Win (+102)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes knows that the postseason is where your best football needs to be played. The Cleveland Browns defense has struggled against the pass and facing Mahomes will bring more of their coverage issues to light. The +102 odds on Mahomes throwing three touchdowns against the Browns and winning the game are the best bet. The 57.5 point total for this game is the highest in the Divisional Round and Mahomes should be able to comfortably throw for more than 3 touchdowns against the Browns.

Two of the most decorated quarterbacks in NFL history take the field as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers led by Tom Brady face the New Orleans Saints with Drew Brees under center. The Saints are favored to beat the Buccaneers by a field goal at home and bettors should lean towards the moneyline here.

The Saints did sweep the Buccaneers in the regular season and that momentum very well could carry into the postseason. In the two games this season the Buccaneers failed to cover the spread but with it being the postseason it’s expected that Tom Brady will make up for any flaws in the team.

Best Bet: Alvin Kamara To Record At Least Six Receptions (+100)

The best bet for this game is for Saints running back Alvin Kamara to record at least six receptions. Tampa Bay has one of the stingiest run defenses in the NFL and getting his touches in the running game won’t be an option for success. Take the +100 odds at legal sports betting sites that Kamara notches over six catches as his 10 catches against the Bucs in two games this season are his second most against any team.

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