The NFL Divisional Round kicks off on Saturday, with a pair of must-see matchups. First, the Buffalo Bills take on the Denver Broncos at Mile High. Then, the Seattle Seahawks take on the San Francisco 49ers for the third time this season. Spots in their respective conference championship games are on the line, and we expect all four teams to be at their best this weekend.
Check out our best bets for each of these crucial showdowns!
Where to Watch Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos
- Stadium: Empower Field at Mile High
- Location: Denver, CO
- Where to Watch: CBS
- Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos Betting Odds
- Spread: BUF +1.5 (-115) | DEN -1.5 (-105)
- Total: Over 45.5 (-120) | Under (+100)
- Moneyline: BUF +100 | DEN -120
As was the case last week, the betting market is moving away from the Bills ahead of their tantalizing clash versus the Broncos. And like the Wild Card Round, Buffalo is hoping to prove doubters wrong and punch its way into the AFC Championship for the second time in three seasons.
Josh Allen is the engine that drives the Bills’ car, and he’s got plenty of horsepower under the hood. Over the last two starts, the reigning MVP has thrown for 525 yards while adding 60 rushing yards on 18 carries. Still, that’s just scratching the surface of what he has to offer. Allen completed a career-best 69.3% of his passes this season, setting a new benchmark in yards per pass attempt (8.0).
Allen should have no problem poking holes in the Broncos’ secondary on Saturday. Denver has given up 247 or more passing yards in four of its last seven, coinciding with deteriorating offensive metrics. The top-seeded Broncos have mustered just 543 yards over its last two games, falling short of Josh Allen’s production alone.
Buffalo has held three of its last four opponents to 294 yards or fewer, yielding a 241.3 yards per game average over that sample. With the Broncos struggling offensively, we predict the Bills pull off another unexpected upset in the Divisional Round.
Best Bet: Bills +100
Where to Watch San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks
- Stadium: Lumen Field
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Where to Watch: ESPN
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks Betting Odds
- Spread: SF +7 (-110) | SEA -7 (-110)
- Total: Over 45.5 (-105) | Under (-115)
- Moneyline: SF +270 | SEA -340
Rivalry games always live up to the hype in the postseason. We’re expecting some fireworks when the 49ers head north for a divisional battle versus the Seahawks. Both teams have a reputation for stout defensive football, but we expect offense to be on full display in this one.
The Niners have sacrificed their defense-first reputation for more offensive production. That transformation has become even more evident in the latter stages of the campaign. The NFC West titans have gone north of 430 yards in three of their last five, putting up 37 or more points in each one of those contests. At the same time, opponents have averaged a healthy 345.2 yards per game across the entire sample.
On the whole, Seattle’s defense has been one of the best in the league this season. Still, they’ve shown cracks in their armor when it comes to defending the pass. They gave up 265 passing yards to this same Niners team at the start of the season, with the Bucs, Rams, Jags, and even the Titans embarrassing them to some extent.
San Francisco knows how to dissect this defense, as we expect them to improve on the laughable 173 yards they put up when these teams met in Week 18. But the Seahawks will be happy to trade jabs with their division rivals, looking to land a knockout blow late. This is Seattle’s game to lose, but the Niners won’t go down without a fight. In the end, we predict this one exceeds the reachable total.
Best Bet: Over 45.5 -105
NFL Divisional Round Preview: Saturday Best Bets
- Bills +100
- SF-SEA Over 45.5 -105
We’ve queued up our favorite Saturday NFL plays. We’re backing the Bills outright as plus-money underdogs, while taking a stance on the over between the 49ers and Seahawks. Stay up to date with line movement, and make sure you’re getting the most of the number ahead of kick-off!
New to sports betting? First, explore our Introduction to Sports Betting. Then check out our recommendations at Flip The Switch for online sportsbooks, along with offers to get started. And if you’re not an avid sports fan, you can still find some fun and unusual bets to enjoy!
