Let the games begin! After 18 weeks and 17 games the NFL playoff field is set with Super Wild Card Weekend getting underway on Saturday with a pair of games. The San Francisco 49ers are the hottest team in the NFL closing the regular season with 10 straight wins to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC. They open their quest for Super Bowl LVII with a NFC West matchup against the No. 7 seed Seattle Seahawks, who backed into the postseason with Detroit’s win over Green Bay on Sunday night. The Niners won both regular season meetings, including a dominant defensive performance in a 27-7 Week 2 home win. The Niners opened as a 10-point favorite.
The other Saturday matchup has a pair of AFC teams not familiar with recent playoff football tangling. The Jacksonville Jaguars, appearing in the postseason for the first time in five years and just the second time since 2008, won five in a row closing the season with a winner take all matchup with Tennessee in the finale to claim the AFC South and No. 4 seed. The Jags host the Los Angeles Chargers, who ended a three year playoff drought by winning 10 games.
NFL Wild Card Round Betting Odds
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
Date and Time: Saturday, January 14, 2023, 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Opening NFL Odds: 49ers -10, O/U 43
Seahawks at 49ers TV Coverage: FOX
This was one of the fiercest rivalries in all of football a few years ago and tensions are renewed as the clubs meet in the playoffs for the first time since their NFC Championship tussle in 2014. The 49ers closed with a dominant run winning their final 10 games while going 8-2 ATS. Included in that stretch was a 21-13 cover over Seattle as a 3-point road favorite. Brock Purdy made his first road start in that game after taking over for Jimmy Garoppolo. Purdy has been spectacular throwing for 1,374 yards and 13 touchdowns utilizing all the weapons at his disposal. However, the Niners will succeed if the defense continues to play at a high level. The group allowed the fewest points and yards this season holding Seattle to just 20 points and 493 yards in both regular season meetings.
The Seahawks are playing with house money getting a gift to secure a playoff spot. Seattle did its part on Sunday with a comeback win over the Rams and watched Detroit upset Green Bay. Few are giving Pete Carroll’s group a chance in this game after being overmatched in both regular season meetings, but there is a path to a cover and a possible upset. It starts with Geno Smith, who must put the Niners defense on its heels by stretching the field, assuming he gets the chance. Smith completed almost 70 percent of his passes for 4,282 yards and 30 TDs. Kenneth Walker rushed for more than 100 yards in his last three games giving the offense balance that could frustrate the Niners.
NFL Pick: Seattle Seahawks +10 / UNDER 43
Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Date and Time: Saturday, January 14, 2023, 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Opening NFL Odds: Pick ‘em, O/U 47.5
Chargers at Jaguars TV Coverage: NBC
With everything on the line the Jags rallied to beat Tennessee 20-16 in Week 18 claiming the AFC title in a game they probably should’ve lost. It shows a lot about the team but they need to be better to advance. I guess the Jags could look back at their Week 3 matchup with the Bolts, a game they dominated 38-10 with Trevor Lawrence tossing three scoring passes. The Chargers are a different team from that first meeting, though. Justin Herbert was dealing with an injury at the time and several defenders, including Joey Bosa were not available. In a meaningless Week 18 game the Bolts may have lost receiver Mike Williams to a back injury. Still, when healthy the Chargers showed how dangerous they can be winning four straight and five of six to secure a double-digit win season and playoff spot.
For much of the season the Bolts were horrible defensively, though the narrative changed during streak. They allowed an average of 11 points in those four games going 3-0-1 ATS while cashing the UNDER in all four. They ended the season as one of the most profitable teams in the NFL going 11-5-1 ATS and should be a force defensively. The Jags had just 19 rushing yards and 222 total yards against Tennessee getting a defensive score to seal the victory. They won’t be so lucky on Saturday.
NFL Pick: Los Angeles Chargers PK / UNDER 47.5
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