NFL Playoff Odds for Wild Card Weekend: Look-Ahead First Round Betting Lines & Matchups

Week 18 looms large as the NFL playoff odds picture is almost complete.

We analyze the NFL playoff look-ahead odds and the hypothetical matchups for Wild Card Weekend, with a breakdown of the betting lines. As we head into Week 18, the Super Bowl odds favorite Kansas City Chiefs are the only team to have clinched a first-round bye.

Two playoff spots remain - one in each conference - and seeding is still yet to be determined. In the AFC, the Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, and Miami Dolphins are vying for the last wild-card spot, currently occupied by the Broncos. In the NFC, the South division remains undecided with the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fighting for the final postseason place.

The look-ahead first-round spreads tell the story of the favorites at the best NFL betting sites. The biggest takeaway is that the Houston Texans are underdogs against whichever team they welcome to NRG Stadium, similar to the Los Angeles Rams against their NFC North foes.

Wild Card Weekend look-ahead odds

Odds via FanDuel as of Jan. 3.

• Detroit Lions: The Lions are not locked into the NFC's No. 1 seed, despite their 14-2 record, as the Minnesota Vikings also sit at 14-2 ahead of their pivotal Week 18 divisional duel
• Buffalo Bills: The Bills are the largest look-ahead favorites of the Wild Card Round, with our best sports betting sites giving them an 8.5-point edge over the Denver Broncos
• Houston Texans: The Texans will host either the Los Angeles Chargers or Pittsburgh Steelers, and they're underdogs against both opponents, according to the look-ahead lines
• Los Angeles Rams: The Rams find themselves in the same boat as the Texans, underdogs at SoFi Stadium against the NFC North runners-up
• Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles open as field-goal favorites in a rematch with the Green Bay Packers

AFC Wild Card look-ahead odds

Steelers vs. Texans odds

• When: Saturday, Jan. 11, Sunday, Jan. 12, OR Monday, Jan. 13
• Kickoff: TBD
• How to watch: TBD
• Location: NRG Stadium (Houston)
• Odds: Steelers -1.5 ()

The Steelers and Texans are limping into the NFL playoffs. They've combined to lose their last five games heading into Week 18. However, NFL odds favor the visitors over a banged-up Houston squad that'll be missing some key players in this potential playoff matchup.

Broncos vs. Bills odds

• When: Saturday, Jan. 11, Sunday, Jan. 12, OR Monday, Jan. 13
• Kickoff: TBD
• How to watch: TBD
• Location: Highmark Stadium (Buffalo, N.Y.)
• Odds: Bills -8.5 (-110 via FanDuel)

NFL MVP odds favorite Josh Allen will look to improve his career record to 3-1 against the Broncos when they square off in the Wild Card Round. It's a matchup of strength-versus-strength as the NFL's No. 2-rated scoring offense takes on a top-five scoring defense. Oddsmakers give the advantage to the Bills' explosive offense as 8.5-point home favorites.

Steelers vs. Ravens odds

• When: Saturday, Jan. 11, Sunday, Jan. 12, OR Monday, Jan. 13
• Kickoff: TBD
• How to watch: TBD
• Location: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore)
• Odds: Ravens -7.5 (-115 via FanDuel)

If these AFC North foes are to meet for a third time this season, our best sports betting apps are giving the Ravens a significant edge. Baltimore and Pittsburgh split the season series, with each host winning on home turf. The Steelers won the Week 12 contest, 18-16, before the Ravens emerged victorious in Week 16 by a score of 34-17.

Chargers vs. Texans odds

• When: Saturday, Jan. 11, Sunday, Jan. 12, OR Monday, Jan. 13
• Kickoff: TBD
• How to watch: TBD
• Location: NRG Stadium (Houston)
• Odds: Chargers -2.5 (-118 via FanDuel)

The Texans are struggling with injuries on both sides of the ball. Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs, Jalen Pitre, and Jimmie Ward are just some of the season-ending injuries Houston has suffered in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Los Angeles has won three of its last five games, including two in a row. The Chargers have an 80% win rate (4-1) all-time in Houston, and they would enter as 2.5-point favorites to improve upon that total.

Chargers vs. Ravens odds

• When: Saturday, Jan. 11, Sunday, Jan. 12, OR Monday, Jan. 13
• Kickoff: TBD
• How to watch: TBD
• Location: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore)
• Odds: Ravens -6.5 (-115 via FanDuel)

John Harbaugh got the better of his younger brother, Jim, when the Chargers and Ravens got together earlier this season. Baltimore left Los Angeles a 30-23 winner as the elder Harbaugh improved to 3-0 all-time against his younger familial counterpart.

There's a chance they could meet again in the postseason. The sportsbooks are siding with John again, this time to the tune of 6.5 points.

NFC Wild Card look-ahead odds

Vikings vs. Rams odds

• When: Saturday, Jan. 11, Sunday, Jan. 12, OR Monday, Jan. 13
• Kickoff: TBD
• How to watch: TBD
• Location: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
• Odds: Vikings -2.5 (-115 via FanDuel)

One of a few potential rematches in the Wild Card Round, oddsmakers are backing the loser of the first contest in a hypothetical Round 2. The Rams outscored the Vikings 23-6 in the final three quarters as they coasted to a 30-20 victory at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 24. However, Minnesota has rattled off nine consecutive wins, and FanDuel's line of Vikings -2.5 reflects that reality.

Commanders vs. Buccaneers odds

• When: Saturday, Jan. 11, Sunday, Jan. 12, OR Monday, Jan. 13
• Kickoff: TBD
• How to watch: TBD
• Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Fla.)
• Odds: Buccaneers -2.5 (-115 via FanDuel)

The Buccaneers opened up their 2024-25 campaign with a dominant 37-20 victory over the Commanders. Washington's NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds favorite Jayden Daniels has grown leaps and bounds since then, which makes the potential rematch that much more interesting. Our best Super Bowl betting sites still give a slight nod to Tampa Bay (-2.5) at home.

Packers vs. Eagles odds

• When: Saturday, Jan. 11, Sunday, Jan. 12, OR Monday, Jan. 13
• Kickoff: TBD
• How to watch: TBD
• Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
• Odds: Eagles -3 (-105 via FanDuel)

Green Bay and Philadelphia played out an incredible early-season contest in front of fans in Brazil. They've been two of the league's most consistent and quality teams throughout the campaign, as evidenced by their combined 24-8 records. The Eagles won the first matchup and oddsmakers list them as field-goal favorites in a playoff rematch in Philadelphia.

Lions vs. Rams odds

• When: Saturday, Jan. 11, Sunday, Jan. 12, OR Monday, Jan. 13
• Kickoff: TBD
• How to watch: TBD
• Location: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
• Odds: Lions -3 (-120 via FanDuel)

Detroit went 4-0 against the NFC West this season, but Los Angeles gave the Lions their toughest test to date. The Week 1 meeting at Ford Field went to overtime with the hosts emerging victorious, 26-20. Whereas Detroit would be a significant favorite over much of the NFC playoff field, the books are showing Matthew Stafford and Co. a bit of respect with this line (Lions -3).

Super Bowl odds 2025

NFL playoffs schedule

• Wild Card Round: Jan. 11-13
• Divisional Round: Jan. 18-19
• Conference Championships: Jan. 26
• Super Bowl: Feb. 9

How do the NFL playoffs work?

Since 2020, the NFL has featured an expanded playoff field of 14 teams - seven in each conference - eliminating the bye week for the No. 2 seed and extending wild-card weekend to six games spanning from Saturday to Monday.

The No. 1 seed in each conference will still enjoy a bye week in the first round of the playoffs, while the remaining three division winners will host the three wild-card teams with the highest seeds facing the lowest seeds (No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6, No. 4 vs. No. 5).

The winners of those games will advance to the divisional round, where the highest remaining seeds wiill face the lowest seeds. So the No. 1 seed will face the worst-seeded team - which is always the No. 4 seed or worse - while the remaining two teams will meet in the other divisional round matchup.

The two winners in each conference will then meet in the AFC Championship and NFC Championship, which are both played on Championship Sunday, and the respective conference winners will meet two weeks later in the Super Bowl.

NFL betting odds pages

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