Welcome to the NFL Playoffs, ladies and gentlemen! This week's card blesses us with two games on Saturday, three on Sunday, and one on Monday. It's a great time to be a sports bettor and we're ready to roll with 2 early best bets for Wildcard Weekend!
Our top player prop on Justin Jefferson let us down on Sunday Night Football, but we're ready to bounce back in a big way! Let's get into our early looks, which include a play for Saturday and a play for Sunday. Good luck, folks!
LAC at HOU: 4:30 PM EST (Saturday)
Houston let me down a couple of times this season and they haven't looked nearly as crisp as they did last year. CJ Stroud has also struggled at times during his sophomore campaign, especially with a few of his favorite weapons down with injuries. The losses of Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs have hit Houston pretty hard.
All of that said, I still think the Texans are a solid football team and this line is quite a bit disrespectful to them at home. Even though Houston plays in a weak AFC South, they've still played the 19th toughest schedule. That may not be all that tough, but it's way more difficult than the Chargers, who have played the 29th toughest.
The Texans secondary is one of the best in the AFC and they should be able to limit any big plays from Justin Herbert to Ladd McConkey. Jim Harbaugh is a heck of a coach, but don't sleep on DeMeco Ryans. I think Houston wins outright, but I'll take the free field goal at home as a bit of insurance.
Prediction: Texans 23 - Chargers 21
GB at PHI: 4:30 PM EST (Sunday)
I get that Philly is a good team, but Green Bay is no slouch, and this number looks 1.5 to 2 points too high. The Packers have run the ball well all year long and I think they can establish their ground game once again here with Josh Jacobs. The former Las Vegas Raider has run for 1329 yards and 15 TDs this season and I think he can find some holes against this Philly defensive line.
Philadelphia has the more talented roster, but they've played a pretty weak schedule so far (only 31st toughest according to Sagarin). We also don't know how sharp QB Jalen Hurts will be after missing the last two games due to a concussion. Though most expect Hurts to play, there could be a bit of a rust factor.
My power rating only makes Philly a 2.5-point favorite at home for this one. That number also doesn't take into account the questionable health of Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and AJ Brown. The Eagles may win, but not by enough to cover this spread.
Prediction: Eagles 24 - Packers 21