After the Rams won on Monday night vs. the Vikings, all divisional matchups are set for this upcoming weekend. On Saturday afternoon, the Texans will be in Arrowhead Stadium to face the Chiefs. Saturday evening, the Commanders will be on the road to play the Detroit Lions. Both Kansas City and Detroit are coming off a bye.
On Sunday at 3:00 p.m. EST, the Los Angeles Rams will be on the road to face Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. The most intriguing game of the weekend is Sunday’s game at 6:30 p.m. EST. Baltimore is on the road to face Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. This weekend, two of the four divisional matchups have spreads larger than a touchdown. Will the heavy underdogs be able to keep it close or possibly cause a massive upset?
Note: Odds via BetOnline. Accurate as of Jan. 14, 2025
THE DIVISIONAL ROUND IS SET 🏈 #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/CPWlOucBAO
— NFL (@NFL) January 14, 2025
The Chiefs and Lions are favored by more than a touchdown in the divisional round
Kansas City Chiefs (-9) vs. Houston Texans
As the #1 seed in the AFC, the Chiefs had a bye during the wildcard round. No seed lower than four made it out of the first round. That’s why Kansas City is hosting the #4 Texans. Houston was a road dog at home during the wildcard round vs. the Chargers. However, Houston’s defense came to play and they won, 32-12. This weekend, the Texans have a tougher opponent ahead. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowls.
Kansas City is on the quest to win three straight and that starts this weekend vs. the Texans. According to odds via BetOnline, the Chiefs are favored (-9) On Saturday afternoon. During the regular season, the Chiefs only had two games where they beat an opponent by nine points or more. The Chiefs played in 10+ once-score games in 2024 and ended the season 15-2. On top of all this, the Chiefs rested their starters in Week 18 and they’ve had over two weeks to rest and prepare for the divisional round. Andy Reid and the Chiefs do not care about the nine-point spread on Saturday. All they want is a win and to punch their ticket to the AFC Championship.
Detroit Lions (-9.5) vs. Washington Commanders
Jared Goff and the Lions finished 15-2 in the 2024 regular season. That was the best record in the NFC and the Lions earned the #1 seed in the postseason. Detroit had a bye and they will face the Commanders in the divisional round. Washington was on the road in the wildcard round to face the Bucs. It was a back-and-forth game and rookie QB Jayden Daniels shined for the Commanders. He’s the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Daniels set his team up for a game-winning field goal by kicker Zane Gonzalez to advance to the divisional round.
The Lions are coming off much-needed rest as they’ve been one of the most injured teams this season. Detroit has lost several key players to season-ending injuries. Despite that, the Lions have remained battle-tested and are one win away from a second-straight NFC championship. Running back David Montgomery will return from injury in the divisional round. A massive boost for the Lions on offense. The tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery is one of the best in the league. Detroit had six games during the regular season that they won by double-digit points. Can they do the same this weekend vs. the Commanders?
