The playoffs. They’re finally here. What we’ve been waiting for, since, oh, the Chiefs clinched the Super Bowl last year has finally arrived. This year, there’s going to be great games up and down the slate. Too often in prior years, some of the playoff games, even the big ones, have been blowouts. One team doesn’t show up, one is overpowered, etc. That doesn’t seem to be the case this year in the AFC. This Wild Card Weekend, we’ve got three great games, all do or die. You can bet NFL playoff games in the AFC or NFC always at BetNow.
Bet NFL Playoff Games in the AFC
The AFC kicks it off early this Saturday, with the first of the playoff games. The first seven seed in the league’s history (with the new playoff format) goes to the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts boast a defense that has playmakers up and down the lineup, a strong running back, and of course, the eternal Philip Rivers. The only of the shoo-in 2004 first-round quarterbacks to not have a Super Bowl ring (although, quite possibly the most talented) he has another chance in the playoffs this year.
The road ahead will be daunting indeed, as they’re headed to Buffalo to play the Bills. The work McDermott has done in Buffalo is remarkable. In just a few years, he took this team from an also-ran to an absolute Super Bowl contender. They’re the two seed in the AFC, but no one would be shocked if they ran through the tournament and held the trophy at the end. Josh Allen has gotten better every year, to the point where he’s now one of the league’s best quarterbacks (and looks to stay there for years to come).
That said, the Bills defense is tough, too. Buffalo is always a tough place to play, even if there are no fans in the stands. Who do you got in this game? The Bills are favorites, but can the Colts run the ball, take the air out of the ball, and keep Allen on the sideline?
AFC Wild Card Games on Sunday
There are division rivalries in football. Two teams that play each other twice a year, usually not that very far apart geographically, become natural rivals easily. However, in the NFL, often, there are rivalries outside of divisions that arise. They occur because teams end up playing each other often in the regular season (because they finish in the same place in their respective divisions, so they see each other quite a bit). Another reason that these teams play each other: they meet in the playoffs. When that happens over multiple years, a rivalry is born.
Most of us remember this with the Colts and the Patriots, during the heyday of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. The Cowboys and the 49ers, the Raiders and the Steelers – those are rivalries from decades ago that resonate today because those teams met in high stakes games, even though those teams aren’t in the same division and sure don’t see each other often.
We may be on the verge of that happening again in the AFC, between Tennessee and Baltimore. After last year’s then-stunning win by the Titans, when they went into Baltimore, with the Ravens shaving their best regular season, and quite literally ran them over, this became a real rivalry. Then, this year, the Titans again went to Baltimore. There was a fight, and then the Titans literally walked it off in overtime.
Now, they’re meeting again in the playoffs. This time, neither team looks quite as good as they did last year. But you know they hate each other. You know how much this game means to both teams. The Ravens, a proud franchise with a lot of success, can’t believe that they’ve lost to these guys twice in a row. Who do you got in this one? We went through great AFC playoff betting, and didn’t even get to Browns/Steelers yet. Best of luck to you in the playoffs!
