NFL Divisional Round: Ravens Aim to Continue Dominance Against Titans
The favourites on the Super Bowl 54 odds board will face their first postseason test this Saturday when the Baltimore Ravens (+185) host the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Divisional Round this weekend. All of the insider football betting tips suggest that the Ravens are the team to beat, and for good reason. They were utterly dominant during the regular season, going (14-2 SU, 10-6 ATS) with Lamar Jackson making a strong case for league MVP along the way. But they’ll be up against the dragon-slaying Titans, who eliminated last year’s Super Bowl winner and may have brought the Patriots’ dynasty to an end.
We’ll walk through the NFL Betting odds for the Titans-Ravens game, as well as the other three divisional games so you can confidently bet on the NFL this weekend. We’ll also pepper in some NFL betting tips to give you an edge on the NFL lines. This is where heroes are made both on the field and through NFL betting, so don’t miss your chance at victory this weekend.
2019 NFL Divisional Round Best Odds and Matchups
Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens (—10) (Saturday, 8:15 PM ET)
It’s been a storybook season for the Baltimore Ravens up to this point. They lost just two games all season and were the highest-seeded club in the NFL. That success came from a balance of tremendous offensive production (33.2 points per game) and suffocating defensive play (17.6 points per game). That strong regular season performance provided them with homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, where they had a 7-1 record during the regular season; that could prove to be a huge edge going forward.
But if one team can bring the Ravens’ dream season to an end, it’s the Tennessee Titans (10-7 SU, 9-7-1 ATS). Tennessee had one of the best second halves in the NFL. QB Ryan Tannehill led them to a 7-3 SU record, and RB Derrick Henry cemented himself as an elite rusher in the league. Henry put up 182 yards on 34 carries against the Patriots, and allowed the Titans to control the game. If he can establish himself against the Ravens and keep Jackson off the field, we could have an upset on the NFL odds board.
Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers (—7) (Sunday, 4:35 PM ET)
The Minnesota Vikings stunned the New Orleans Saints with a 26-20 win in the Wild Card game on Sunday, but they’re still just +1200 on the Super Bowl 54 odds board. Those long odds are likely because of who they’re up against in the Divisional Round. The heavily-favoured 49ers are laying seven points at home.
The Niners are expecting to get several key defensive players back in time for Saturday’s contest, including defensive end Dee Ford (hamstring), linebacker Kwon Alexander (pectoral) and safety Jaquiski Tartt (ribs). That could spell trouble for the Vikings’ offense, which relies heavily RB Dalvin Cook to control the clock. WR Adam Thielen also suffered an ankle injury in practice this week, so his health is not known at press. As a result, it may be tough going for the ‘Vikes in San Fran, and the total is a low 44 points for these defensively-minded clubs.
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers (—4) (Sunday, 6:40 PM ET)
The tightest odds on NFL Sunday belong to the Seahawks and Packers. Seattle looked anything but dominant in their game against the Eagles last week, and it’ll be similar conditions at Lambeau Field this Sunday. As a result, the spread is a thin four points in favour of the Pack.
Not surprisingly, the Packers were one of the strongest home teams in the NFL this season, going 7-1 in front of the Cheeseheads. Thanks to their first-round bye, Green Bay is coming into Sunday’s contest completely healthy. That bodes well for Rodgers and co., who’ll look to take advantage of the ‘Hawks team that didn’t get any rest and will be down left tackle Duane Brown.
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (—9.5) (Sunday, 3:05 PM ET)
What may be the most exciting game in the Divisional Round comes out of Kansas City. QB Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs barely missed out on a Super Bowl appearance last season, and with the superstar playmaker hungry to lead his team to the next level, you can bet the Chiefs will try to take advantage of the Texans’ 19th-ranked defense (24.1 points against per game).
But Texans’ QB Deshaun Watson showed that he too can be magic under centre. Watson pulled off an incredible play in the dying minutes of the fourth quarter to beat the Buffalo Bills and complete the comeback en route to a 22-19 victory. The Texans won’t get the same opportunities against the Chiefs, so they’ll need to strike early and often if they hope to keep pace with KC. As a result, the total is a high 51 points.