NFL Conference Championship Betting Previews
NFL Conference Championship Betting Previews
We are down to the final four teams in the NFL Playoffs, and the Super Bowl matchup will be set by the end of the weekend. The Divisional Round of the playoffs produced some incredible drama, including one of the best football games of all time. This weekend is usually one of the best days of sports in the entire year as the four best teams are set to take the field. There are two intriguing matchups on the schedule, including a huge rivalry game in the NFC Championship Game.
There are going to be a number of different ways to bet on football this weekend, but simply betting against the spread for each game will always be a top option. Here are betting previews for each game set to take place.
AFC Championship Game: Bengals at Chiefs
The Cincinnati Bengals have made a surprising run to the AFC Championship Game, and their reward is a trip to Arrowhead Stadium. The Kansas City Chiefs will be waiting, and this is the fourth straight appearance in this game for Andy Reid’s squad.
These teams actually met up in Week 17 of the season, and it was a terrific matchup that came down to the final play. Cincinnati was able to pick up a 34-31 win in that game, but the Chiefs are a different animal in the postseason. The Bengals have been getting great play from the defense so far in the postseason as they have allowed just 35 total points. Holding Kansas City under 30 might be enough to win this game, but that’s also going to be a huge challenge.
Quarterback Joe Burrow threw for over 4,600 yards this season, but he also threw 14 interceptions. Cincinnati will have to find a way to get more balance on offense, but they also need their young QB to take care of the ball. Patrick Mahomes and that Chiefs offense is just so explosive, and they have scored 42 points in each of their first two playoff wins. Kansas City doesn’t get many yards on the ground, but they simply don’t need to.
Cincinnati is going to attempt to try and outscore the Chiefs in this game, and that’s usually a strategy that doesn’t work out well against Kansas City. The Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase combination has been nearly impossible to stop, but Kansas City will find a way to slow them down in this matchup. Playing at Arrowhead Stadium is going to be a huge advantage for the Chiefs as they are just so hard to beat at home. This game should feature plenty of points, but the Bengals just won’t be able to keep up for four quarters.
Bet the Kansas City Chiefs -7.0 as they win this game by double digits to advance to their third straight Super Bowl.
NFC Championship Game: 49ers at Rams
There will be plenty of attention on the AFC Championship Game, but the matchup in the NFC should be tremendous. The Los Angeles Rams host the San Francisco 49ers in a matchup of NFC West rivals that have a long history.
San Francisco picked up a 27-24 overtime win in Los Angeles in the final week of the regular season, and that game could be a great guide for how this game will play out. The 49ers have won two straight road games in the postseason, and they won’t be intimidated by playing on the road.
The 49ers want to run the football as they are averaging over 127 rushing yards per game this season, and that also allows them to give the defense a break. San Francisco is not a team that can put up points in a hurry, but that rushing attack can give the Rams’ defense some problems on Sunday night. If Los Angeles is going to win this game, then they are going to win it by throwing the football down the field. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for over 4,800 yards this season, and Cooper Kupp had 145 receptions for nearly 2,000 receiving yards.
San Francisco is going to have to find a way to slow down the Stafford-Kupp combination if they want any chance of pulling off this upset. On the flip side, Los Angeles is going to have to find a way to stop the dominant rushing attack from San Francisco. This is a matchup of two teams that play different styles, and that is going to create an interesting matchup. Having home-field advantage is a huge bonus for Los Angeles, but they are facing a team that is coming in with a ton of momentum.
The best bet is to take the 3.5-points and bet on the San Francisco 49ers, as this has all the makings of a game that will be decided on a late field goal.
Derek Hudson
Derek is a long time sports bettor who grew up in Providence, RI. Derek is data driven and believes the key to betting the sportsbooks is finding an edge in analytics. Derek is happily married and has two young boys. Derek will bet on anything if you let him.
