NFL Divisional Round Picks and Predictions: Can underdogs shake up the 2024 playoff bracket?

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Jan 20, 2024, 02:21 IST

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The 2024 NFL playoffs are heating up with the divisional round approaching. The top seeds, 49ers and Ravens, face the Packers and Texans, respectively. The SportsLine consensus favors the 49ers and Ravens. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are seen as a sneaky value. Super Wild Card Weekend results: Texans, Chiefs, Bills, Packers, Lions, and Buccaneers advance.

NFL Divisional Round Picks and Predictions: Can underdogs shake up the 2024 playoff bracket?

NFL (Reuters Photo)

NEW DELHI: The 2024 NFL playoffs are heating up as the divisional round approaches, with the top seeds entering the fray. The 49ers and Ravens are set to kick off their Super Bowl quest this weekend, facing the Packers and Texans, respectively. According to the latest odds from the SportsLine consensus, both the 49ers and Ravens are heavy favorites with spreads of -9.5 points.
While selecting top seeds has historically paid off, upsets are a common theme in the NFL playoffs.

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SportsLine's advanced computer model, known for its accurate NFL predictions, has analyzed every angle to provide insights for making informed NFL picks and playoff bracket predictions.

The model, which has a track record of success, boasts an impressive 183-129 run on top-rated NFL picks since the 2017 season. It enters the 2024 NFL playoffs on a hot streak, going 37-21 on top-rated picks since Week 7 of last season and nailing seven straight top-rated picks.

For the divisional round, the model has identified intriguing opportunities, including a surprising endorsement of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6.5). Despite barely making it to the playoffs, the Buccaneers have defied odds throughout the season, covering the spread in eight of their last nine road games and five of their last six games overall. The model sees them as a sneaky value and expects their undervalued performance to continue.

Here's a glimpse of the AFC and NFC Championship Games predictions based on the 2024 NFL playoff brackets:
AFC:

Ravens
Bills
Chiefs
Texans

NFC:

49ers
Lions
Buccaneers
Packers

Super Wild Card Weekend Results:

Texans 45 vs. Browns 14
Chiefs 26 vs. Dolphins 7
Bills 31 vs. Steelers 17
Cowboys 32 vs. Packers 48
Lions 24 vs. Rams 23
Buccaneers 32 vs. Eagles 9

Divisional Round Matchups:

49ers vs. Packers
Ravens vs. Texans
Lions vs. Buccaneers
Bills vs. Chiefs

NFC, AFC Championship Game Predictions:

TBD vs. TBD
TBD vs. TBD

2024 Super Bowl:

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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