NFL Divisional Round Bet Now, Bet Later: Jump On the G-Men Early

After a wild, wild weekend, we have a fresh set of NFL Divisional Round odds on the board.

The NFL Playoffs’ version of the Elite Eight has a lot of influences on those odds, with top seeds coming off the bye, upset winners riding momentum, and a week’s worth of action moving the spreads and totals. But the basic betting rule still applies in the postseason: get the best number for your opinion.

I help you do just that, highlighting the spread and Over/Under total to bet now before the value dries up and which lines you may want to wait on and buy later. 

Divisional Round bet now, bet later picks

• Giants (+7.5) @ Eagles: Bet Now
• Cowboys/Bucs @ 49ers: Bet Later
• Bengals @ Bills Under 50.5: Bet Now
• Jaguars @ Chiefs Under 52: Bet Later

Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.

Bet Now: New York Giants (+7.5) at Philadelphia Eagles

An NFC East rivalry so nice they’ve got to do it thrice.

The Giants picked up a big win in Minnesota and now head to Philadelphia to take on the No. 1 seed in the conference. New York won over plenty of bettors in the Wild Card Round and appear to be earning the early opinion for this divisional round matchup.

New York opened as a 7.5-point road underdog, and the vig is starting to shift, with the G-Men priced at -115. The Eagles enjoyed a bye week to open the playoffs but limped to the finish line with some unimpressive performance.

The last we saw of Philly, it was barely edging the Giants and its backup QB 22-16 — falling well short of the 17-point spread in Week 18. Jalen Hurts played through a shoulder sprain that cost him the two prior starts, but he’s had the extra week to heal up.

The Eagles and New York first met back in Week 14, with Philly rolling to a 48-22 victory in East Rutherford. However, the G-Men have played with plenty of fight ever since, with a notable uptick in defensive game planning over the past five contests. The Eagles, on the other hand, went 2-2 straight up with an 0-4 against the spread mark in the final four games of the regular season.

If you’re a believer in Big Blue in the Divisional Round, make sure to get the Giants above the key number of a touchdown now.

Bet Later Dallas Cowboys/Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TBD) at San Francisco 49ers

Yes, the Wild Card Weekend has yet to wrap. The Cowboys and Bucs battle on Monday night… for some reason. The stupid schedule leaves whoever comes out of that game at a massive disadvantage against the 49ers.

San Francisco gets a big boost, not only playing at home, but getting a two-day headstart on preparation and recovery after thrashing Seattle in the second half of its Wild Card outing Saturday. The Niners impressed with their efforts on both sides of the ball, which is enough to sway the early action anyways.

Throw in that decisive schedule edge, which has the visitor traveling in that tight window, and there’s no doubt this line moves hot and heavy in favor of the 49ers when it hits the board late Monday night.

Regardless of how good the winner looks in Cowboys-Bucs, money is showing up on San Francisco. So, whether it be Dallas or Tampa Bay, if you aren’t in love with Brock Purdy & Co. then wait for the line to balloon before buying back on the inevitable road underdog in the NFC Divisional Round.

Bet Now: Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills (Under 50.5)

Joe Burrow vs. Josh Allen promises plenty of fireworks and early play has this total ranging from 49.5 to 50.5 points.

The Over/Under total for Week 17’s suspended/canceled game in Cincinnati closed at 50.5 after being bet up from an opener of 49 points. Since then, Cincy's red-hot offense has cooled.

The Bengals scored 27 points against Baltimore in Week 18 thanks to a scoop-and-score from the defense and then managed just 24 points with another defensive TD, skewing their output in the Wild Card Round.

Cincy’s offense managed yardage totals of just 257 and 234 in those games and enters this matchup with injury issues on the offensive line.

As for the Bills, they scored 35 points on the Patriots in Week 18 but two of those touchdowns came from kick returns. Buffalo looked better in the Wild Card matchup with Miami but stalled out at times against a weaker Dolphins' defense.

Weather is always a factor in Orchard Park, with the extended forecast calling for snow showers and wind gusts up to 29 mph, cooling the game-time temperatures to 25 degrees for the 3 p.m. ET kickoff — which will eventually feel like 19 degrees in the second half. 

If you wonder about the Under, don’t wait. Go find the biggest total left and go Under now.

Bet Later: Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs (Under 52)

The total for this AFC Divisional Round dance is climbing after opening around 51 points, making its way to 52 points in the minutes after hitting the board Sunday night.

The initial move makes sense, considering the Chiefs’ high-octane attack that ranked leaps and bounds ahead of every other elite offense in the league. Kansas City comes in with fresh legs after enjoying a week off, and closed the regular season averaging more than 29 points in the final five games while going 3-2 Over/Under.

The Jaguars are a bit of a mess. They fell behind 27-0 to Los Angeles and roared back to escape the Wild Card Round, but those quick and easy points from the Bolts were fueled by first-half turnovers. There are a lot of variances at play in that 31-30 final score. 

Jacksonville finished the regular season with its defense in full stride and held the Chargers to a field goal in the final 30 minutes of Saturday’s comeback.

These teams clashed in Week 10, with Kansas City winning 27-17 and the final score staying Under a closing total of 51.5 points.

This time around, you have the grit and grind of playoff football — which usually demands lower totals — as well as chilly temperatures in Kansas City hitting the “feels like” range of 30-below with the potential for showers late Saturday afternoon.

Wait for this total to keep ticking up before you plunder the Under.

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