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
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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