We are nearing the end of the NFL Playoffs, and things are heating up. So far, the final four are more or less what markets and bettors have been picking for some time now. However, that is no guarantee that the NFL Conference Finals picks will be as easy. Upsets are always a possibility.
Playoff betting is a great run-up to Super Bowl betting. You can get to know the teams and how they perform under pressure as the postseason advances. Let’s take a look at the last game of the playoffs: the Conference Finals. We’ll also give our exclusive picks for these big games.
The Kansas City Chiefs will go up against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, January 24th, 2021. This has been the predicted set up for the AFC final for some time now. However, how the teams got here has been a little surprising.
Last week the Chiefs took down the Cleveland Browns in what should have been an easy match. However, after the star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes was knocked down, he suffered a concussion. He had to sit out much of the second half. The final score was a squeaker: 21-17.
The quarterback is reportedly doing well and is likely to play in the AFC Championship match. However, if he will be up to his standards is another question. It also makes clear just how much the Chiefs depend on one player. If he had been out for the whole game, the much lower-ranked Browns would have likely prevailed.
Right now the Kansas City Chiefs are the market favorite (-160) to make it to the Super Bowl over the Buffalo Bills (+140). While the Chiefs are indeed slightly more likely to win, they are also overvalued.
Because the Chiefs won the Super Bowl last year, they have an excess of hype. I would go with the underdog here because the profit outways the risk. Our pick for the AFC championship final 2021 is the Buffalo Bills.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the Green Bay Packers in the final week of the NFC playoffs to see who will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. With Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers on the field, this is shaping up to be a legendary game in its own right. And that’s before we make it to the Super Bowl.
While Brady is looking for his seventh Super Bowl ring, Drew Brees ended his career when the Saints lost to the Buccaneers last week. Brees holds the records for most career pass completions and career passing yards.
We should not simplify the two teams to their quarterbacks, but with two future Hall-of-Famers leading them, it is difficult to exaggerate their influence.
Sportsbooks such as Bovada has the Green Bay Packers (-190) as the clear favorite over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+165). In this case, the Packers are priced correctly, as if anything, Brady’s influence will be over-hyped. Our SBS pick for the NFC championship match is the Green Bay Packers.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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