Editor’s note:
NFL fans argued whether Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen should win MVP honors this season.
Well, now the two will battle for a spot in the AFC Championship game.
Three of the four Divisional Round matchups are set, and the highly anticipated Ravens-Bills matchup is the only one oddsmakers see as a close affair based on early lines.
Allen’s Bills are opened as small home favorites, with the line ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 points as of Monday morning, against Jackson’s Ravens, but the line has since flipped to favor Baltimore.
There is no line yet for the Eagles hosting the winner of Monday’s neutral-site clash between the Rams and Vikings in Glendale, Ariz.
The Chiefs and Lions have both installed as touchdown-plus favorites for their respective games.
Editor’s note: Story was updated to reflect change in Ravens-Bills game, with line flipping from Bills as favorite to Ravens as favorites early Monday afternoon.
Texans vs. Chiefs odds (Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET)
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texans | +8 (-110) | +310 | o42 (-110) |
| Chiefs | -8 (-110) | -400 | u42 (-110) |
The Texans upset the Chargers as home favorites to advance, but oddsmakers don’t see a competitive contest against the top-seeded Chiefs.
Kansas City, which did not play its starters in Week 18, will have had essentially two full weeks to rest before facing a team it downed, 27-19, at home in Week 16.
These teams combined for 46 points in that clash, but oddsmakers see this game being controlled by the defenses.
The Chiefs shut down Joe Mixon and contained Nico Collins in their victory, while Tank Dell had a strong game before suffering a season-ending injury.
Commanders vs. Lions odds (Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commanders | +8.5 (-105) | +375 | o55.5 (-110) |
| Lions | -8.5 (-115) | -500 | u55.5 (-110) |
The Commanders escaped Tampa with a walk-off field goal win, but they’ll have their work cut out for them against the NFC’s top seed.
This line seem a tad high considering the Commanders’ penchant for playing in tight games, but Detroit will be rested and Washington has a short rest week after playing Sunday night.
The Commanders lost four of their five games this year by at least seven points, but only one (Week 1) came by more than eight points.
The total is notable here, with the 55.5 mark easily being the highest of the week.
Ravens vs. Bills odds (Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET)
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens | -1 (-115) | -120 | o51.5 (-110) |
| Bills | +1 (-105) | +100 | u51.5 (-110) |
The best game on paper of the slate is the tightest line and already has seen a shift.
Baltimore flipped to favorite status early Monday afternoon, with the line moving two points.
This line is close enough to pick’em status that it could flip again.
While Jackson and crew hammered the Bills, 35-10, at home in Week 4, this matchup comes nearly months later and in Buffalo.
Betting on the NFL?
- Read our expert guide on how to bet on the NFL
- Check out the best NFL betting sites
- Get the BetMGM Bonus Code
A big question surrounding this game will be the status of Ravens receiver Zay Flowers, who missed the Wild Card win over the Steelers with an injury he suffered in Week 18.
Jackson and Allen both played great in their first-round wins and, while this is basic analysis, this matchup could simply be decided by which star has the better game.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Matt Ehalt has been picking against the spread since his childhood days when he entered his father’s newspaper pool and even took the top prize on more than one occasion. He specializes in NFL wagers and is quite successful with NCAA brackets.
