NFL Playoff Pick'em: Expert predictions for the AFC and NFC Wild Card games
January 2nd, 2020
We're celebrating our expansion into Pennsylvania by teaming up with two of the Keystone State's finest sports blogs on a brand new NFL promotion! Join us weekly as Kyle Scott from Crossing Broad and Liam Jenkins from Philly Sports Network go head-to-head to pick the winner of every single playoff game from the Wild Card round all the way to Super Bowl LIV. We'll share their locks of the week and post their records as they compete for $1,000 and ultimate bragging rights.
Meet the Experts
Kyle Scott (CrossingBroad)
Kyle Scott is the founder and editor of CrossingBroad.com. He has written for CBS Philly and Philly Voice, and been a panelist or contributor on NBC Sports Philly, FOX 29 and SNY TV, as well as a recurring guest on 97.5 The Fanatic, 94 WIP, 106.7 The Fan and other stations. He has more than 10 years experience running digital media properties and in online advertising and marketing.
Liam Jenkins (Philly Sports Network)
Liam is a 24-year old sports journalist from the UK and founder of the Philly Sports Network. In just five years he turned a hobby into one of the fastest-growing Philadelphia sports sites in the world, amassing 9,000,000 views and writing over 3,000 articles. Drawing attention from the likes of CSN, NJ.Com and Bleacher Report in the process, Liam is set on changing the way Philadelphia sports teams are reported on, helping his team deliver diverse content across multiple platforms, including YouTube, where the PSN channel has close to 15,000 subscribers.AFC and NFC Wild Card odds
| Game | Spread | Total |
|---|
BUF vs. HOU | HOU -2.5 | 43.5 |
TEN vs. NE | NE -5 | 44 |
MIN vs. NO | NO -8 | 50 |
SEA vs. PHI | PHI +1.5 | 45 |
Expert Picks
Our experts picked the spread and total for all four Wild Card games below.| Game | Spread | Total |
|---|
BUF vs. HOU | HOU -2.5 | 43.5 |
TEN vs. NE | NE -5 | 44 |
MIN vs. NO | NO -8 | 50 |
SEA vs. PHI | PHI +1.5 | 45 |
Locks of the Week
Kyle: Eagles +1.5 and Under 45 It is difficult for me to judge Eagles games fairly since I’m from Philly and spend all my days surrounded by Eagles chatter— good and bad. But if you would have told me a month ago that the Eagles would be only a short dog in a home playoff game I would have been elated. Had you listed all of their injuries and the manner in which they would get here, I’d be ever more happy. Sure, they are the only home dog in the playoffs (a role which served them very well two years ago), but home underdogs of three points or less are 7-3 ATS since the 2016 postseason. On the surface, it feels like the Eagles should be a much longer shot to advance than they are. The line is indeed telling me something. What’s more, FiveThirtyEight’s ELO projections, which generally matches the line, pegs the Eagles as a -5.5 point favorite(!) and gives them a 69% chance win probability. We have rarely seen this sort of discrepancy between a book and FiveThirtyEight. That alone tells me there’s some value on the Birds.Liam: Texans -2.5 The Bills are getting some respect from public bettors, but when it rains, it pours. With the public love and the Texans struggling mightily in this game over recent years, it's led to a very tasty line if you fancy Houston. Should DE J.J Watt return, I think Josh Allen could be in trouble. He’s proved a lot of people wrong this year, but this is a game of two tough defenses, one franchise quarterback and one with raw potential that has really yet to blossom. The Bills were also 1-4 vs. playoff teams and will now go on the road for this one. I’m taking the Texans.
Sports Betting is now in PA with the BetAmerica Sportsbook in partnership with Presque Isle Downs & Casino!
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