Wild Card Weekend in the NFL Playoffs is here! The level of play across the league will step up to another level this weekend. With it, the betting action around the country will also rise. NFL betting is only becoming more popular, so one can only imagine the amount of money that will be wagered during Wild Card Weekend. We will be included along with it, as we give our best NFL picks against the spread!
We have six games on the Wild Card Weekend schedule. With two divisional games included in that, there are some tough games to project. I do not give picks for the sake of making picks. Instead, we will be hunting winners. With that, here are the best NFL picks against the spread and Wild Card Weekend predictions.
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NFL Picks Against the Spread | Wild Card Weekend Predictions
NFL betting odds and line for Wild Card Weekend are taken from BetMGM Sportsbook.
New England Patriots (+4.5) vs Buffalo Bills
I won’t lie, this is the toughest out of my NFL picks against the spread for Wild Card Weekend. This is the third matchup between these AFC East foes this season, with the Buffalo Bills winning the only game that didn’t feature horrendous weather. Still, I expect Bill Belichick to win the mental game on Saturday.
No. 6 seeds have performed well in the playoffs over the past four years, going 8-0 against the spread in the Wild Card round. I like the Patriots in this game, along with another No. 6 seed later.
New England has been running the ball really well, while the Bills’ run defense has been suspect. If the Patriots get an early lead and can control the tempo with their running game, I don’t trust Josh Allen to be efficient enough and make the right decisions to cover the spread. In fact, he could lose outright.
Philadelphia Eagles vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-8.5)
The Philadelphia Eagles’ strength is their running game. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been known for their tough run defense over the past couple of seasons. If the running game for Philadelphia isn’t working, they don’t have much else on the offensive side of the ball.
Jalen Hurts cannot win the game with his arm, though that is likely what he will be forced into trying to do. In this situation, I love Tampa Bay to take full advantage. The Bucs defense will likely give Tom Brady a couple of short fields, which he and Rob Gronkowski will exploit.
San Francisco 49ers (+3) vs Dallas Cowboys
Here’s the other No. 6 seed we like for our NFL picks against the spread.
In my opinion, the San Francisco 49ers are the most dangerous team in the NFL Playoffs. They run the ball well, stop the run and rush the passer. They should be able to fully shut down the Cowboys running game. That puts the pressure on Dak Prescott, and I don’t trust him with the way he has played the back half of this season. Look for the 49ers to win at the point of attack on both sides of the ball.
Pittsburgh Steelers (+13) vs Kansas City Chiefs
While I expect the Kansas City Chiefs to win at home, the Pittsburgh Steelers will not roll over for Patrick Mahomes. The Pittsburgh defense will rush the passer well, likely forcing a mistake or two.
However, the main reason I like betting Steelers with the points is that their biggest weakness, the offensive line, will not be much of an issue. The Chiefs are weak against the run and don’t rush the passer well. As a result, Pittsburgh will be able to keep the game close enough to cover the spread.
