The NFL playoffs are in full swing as we come off Wild Card Weekend. After the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams put this opening slate to bed with their postseason showdown on Monday night, just eight teams will remain in contention for the Lombardi Trophy. It's also the time when the No. 1 seeds come out of their hibernation and begin their push to a championship, adding an even higher level of intensity.
As we gear up for the divisional round, we turn our attention to the opening odds to see who the oddsmakers believe has the inside track of making it to Championship Sunday with an opportunity to punch their ticket to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX.
Note: The second NFC divisional-game odds featuring the Philadelphia Eagles will be updated following Vikings-Rams on Monday night.
Divisional round early odds
All NFL odds via SportsLine Consensus
| Game | Early line | Early total | Early Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs -8 | 42.5 | Texans +350, Chiefs -457 | |
Commanders at Lions (Saturday) | Lions -8.5 | 55.5 | Commanders +378, Lions -500 |
Bills -1.5 | 51.5 | Ravens -110, Bills -109 |
Notable movement, trends
All times Eastern
Texans at Chiefs (Saturday, 4:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN, fubo)
This line opened at Chiefs -7.5 but has since ticked further into Kansas City's favor as the defending champions are now laying eight points in this matchup. We don't have to look too far back to see the last time these two clubs squared off against one another as they went toe-to-toe back in Week 16. There, the Chiefs pulled out a 27-19 win and the K.C. defense was able to pick off C.J. Stroud twice. The Texans were a bit sluggish to begin their playoff matchup against the Chargers, but once they woke up there was no stopping them, blowing out Los Angeles 32-12.
This will be a different environment for Houston, however, as its playoff path now takes it on the road to Arrowhead Stadium. The Texans are 4-4-1 ATS on the road this season. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have struggled to cover at home this season, owning a 3-5 ATS record at Arrowhead. K.C. is coming off an extended break of 20-plus days after resting most of its starters in Week 18, so it will be interesting to see if there is any rust that'll need to be shaken off. Since 2018 (when Patrick Mahomes became the full-time starter), the Chiefs are 16-17 ATS when possessing a rest advantage.
Commanders at Lions (Saturday, 8 p.m., Fox, fubo)
This line continues to move in favor of the Lions. Initially, Detroit opened as a 7.5-point favorite but it is now up to Lions -8.5. They'll be coming off a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while Washington continues its path on the road after taking down the Buccaneers in Tampa on a game-winning field goal.
Under Dan Campbell, Detroit is 3-1 ATS coming off a bye and 12-3 ATS when given a rest advantage. The Lions come into this game 7-2 straight up at Ford Field this season, but they are just 5-4 ATS at home so their games have been a touch closer than the oddsmakers have assumed. The Commanders are 4-4-1 ATS on the road this season.
Vikings or Rams at Eagles (Sunday, 3 p.m., NBC, fubo)
- We will update this game following the results of Monday's wild-card matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams.
The Philadelphia Eagles own a 5-4 ATS record at Lincoln Financial Field this season and are 8-1 straight up at home.
Ravens at Bills (Sunday, 6:30 p.m., CBS, Paramount+)
Arguably the best game on the divisional round slate is what puts a bow on the weekend as the Bills host the Ravens at Highmark Stadium. Buffalo opened as a 1.5-point favorite and that has held coming into Monday. These two teams played one another earlier this season back in Week 4 when the Ravens took down the Bills 35-10 in Baltimore. In that contest, Derrick Henry rushed for 199 yards and a touchdown, while Lamar Jackson threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another. It was also the only game where Josh Allen did not register either a rushing or passing touchdown this season (excluding Week 18 when he took a single snap).
With the win over Denver, Buffalo is now 9-0 straight up at home this season and 6-3 ATS. While that's a tremendous record to lean on, the Ravens haven't been too shabby on the road as they are 6-3 ATS. In their lone game as an underdog this season, the Ravens are 0-1
