With just three weeks left in the 2019 regular season, it is time to start thinking about the 2019 NFL postseason. New Orleans, Baltimore and Kansas City are the only teams that have clinched playoff spots, as the Saints and the Chiefs have clinched their divisions, while the Ravens need to win more to salt away an AFC North title. There is still plenty to decide, though, as Houston could end up winning the AFC South — or missing the playoffs altogether. Then there is the NFC East, a division that no team seems to want to win, as the Cowboys and Eagles have been trading losses — until that Philadelphia comeback on Monday Night Football that erased a 14-point deficit and ended in an overtime win for the Birds. If you include the NFL playoffs in your sports betting, don’t miss our thoughts about the coming playoffs.
2019 NFL Postseason Betting Predictions
The postseason is three weeks away.
— NFL (@NFL) December 10, 2019
Is YOUR team making it? pic.twitter.com/7i9ztmzkse
AFC Seeds
- Baltimore (AFC North Champion)
- New England (AFC East Champion)
- Kansas City (AFC West Champion)
- Tennessee (AFC South Champion)
- Buffalo (Wild Card)
- Houston (Wild Card)
NFC Seeds
- New Orleans (NFC South Champion)
- Seattle (NFC West Champion)
- Green Bay (NFC North Champion)
- Philadelphia (NFC East Champion)
- San Francisco (Wild Card)
- Minnesota (Wild Card)
First, some words of explanation here. Tennessee and Houston are tied at 8-5, but the Titans have won four in a row, while the Texans followed up a huge home win over New England with an inexplicable 14-point home loss to Denver. Now Tennessee and Houston meet in Weeks 15 and 17; in Week 16, Tennessee hosts New Orleans, while Houston plays at Tampa Bay. That sounds like the easier Week 16 game for Houston, but Tampa Bay has been extremely tough to beat as well. Plus, it would not surprise me to see Tennessee sweep the two games with Houston, as well as Ryan Tannehill has been playing at quarterback.
Next, I have Seattle taking over the NFC West. They have won five of six, and despite losing in Los Angeles to the Rams on Sunday night, they have a reasonable path to the division title. They play at Carolina, whom they have dominated in recent years. Then they host Arizona — and then they host the 49ers, whom they have already beaten on the road. San Francisco hosts Atlanta (who just doubled up Carolina) and the desperate Rams before heading to Seattle, making their three-game winning streak less likely. New Orleans would move up to the top seed if they win out because they beat Seattle.
Next, we would see 6-seed Houston at 3-seed Kansas City in the AFC bracket. Houston has already won at Kansas City this year, but the Chiefs have improved since then. Tennessee would host Buffalo, which might be the best matchup of the entire wild card round. However, I see Buffalo’s defense solving the problems that the Titans have been causing.
That would send Kansas City to New England and Buffalo to Baltimore for the AFC divisional round. The Chiefs have already won at Gillette Stadium once — can they do it twice? Given the number of officiating blunders that had to happen for the Chiefs to win, it is hard to see that happening again, so I would pick the Patriots. Buffalo played Baltimore tough at home, losing by just a touchdown, but assuming that Lamar Jackson’s quad has improved, I don’t see the Ravens having many problems.
That would create an AFC Championship sending New England to Baltimore, where the Ravens would end the Patriots’ season.
In the NFC wild card round, Green Bay would host Minnesota, where Aaron Rodgers would outduel Kirk Cousins. Philadelphia would host San Francisco, and the 49ers would run roughshod over the “NFC Least” champions.
That would send San Francisco to New Orleans, where the Saints would get revenge for their Week 14 loss. Seattle would host Green Bay, where the Packers would rally late but end up falling short.
In the NFC Championship, the Saints would host the Seahawks, and the voodoo at the Superdome would keep the Seahawks from making it back to the Super Bowl.
A New Orleans-Baltimore Super Bowl would pit two high-octane offenses against one another. The Ravens have the better defense, though, and I would see Baltimore getting the key stops en route to a world championship.
