NFL Playoff Odds 2015: Vegas Picks and Predictions Ahead of Divisional Round

Four teams down, another four to go. Heading into the second round of the NFL playoffs, only four franchises will see their dreams of making the conference championship game realized.

Much will be made of one matchup taking place in Denver between Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, his former team. However, the Baltimore Ravens traveling to Foxborough might be equally as riveting with the Ravens primed for another upset.

Over in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks will play their first games after their bye weeks. Both have been strong at home all season but have difficult tests lying ahead.

In anticipation of the divisional round, here are the full spreads and predictions for next weekend.

Visitor	Home	Spread	Pick
Baltimore Ravens	New England Patriots	NE -7	Patriots
Indianapolis Colts	Denver Broncos	DEN -7	Colts
Carolina Panthers	Seattle Seahawks	SEA -11	Seahawks
Dallas Cowboys	Green Bay Packers	GB -6.5	Packers

Analysis of Predictions

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Given the fact that everyone is already salivating over the Colts and Broncos facing off, let's just keep that prediction quick. This weekend is finally time for the torch to be passed, as Andrew Luck leads Indy to the AFC Championship for the first time after winning in a shootout.

Maybe it's just stubbornness or simply believing Bill Belichick won't let it happen again, but the Patriots will end the Ravens' improbable run. After choosing the Pats to make the Super Bowl, this looks like a game that can propel them to a deep run again.

Still, the odds are not in their favor. Despite the success for Belichick in the playoffs with New England, he has struggled against Baltimore during his tenure. Pete Damilatis of Pro Football Focus provides some background on the two teams' history:

Past results aren't always perfect predictors of the future, but Joe Flacco still looks like the same quarterback in the playoffs. He was nearly flawless against the Pittsburgh Steelers, stepping on the gas pedal in the second half to put them away.

Baltimore may have missed the postseason last year, but Flacco's numbers when the Ravens reach the playoffs have been astounding. ESPN Stats & Info notes how well he's played over the last five games:

I'm not willing to say he's elite just yet, and I'm certainly not about to say this will be an easy game for the Patriots. But with weapons all over the field on offense and a defense that surged down the stretch, New England will shake off its woes against Baltimore to clinch a berth into the AFC Championship Game.

Similar to the Patriots pick, choosing the Packers was also a personal decision. Prior to the start of the playoffs, pinning Green Bay as a Super Bowl contender didn't seem like a terrible idea.

Facing off with a Dallas team that finished 8-0 on the road this season, Green Bay will need Aaron Rodgers to be perfect—which he has been at home all year. After all, he's led the Pack to an 8-0 season of its own at home.

In their Wild Card Round game, the Panthers were able to rout a weak Arizona Cardinals team despite several turnovers that led to easy points. As a reward, they will travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks and the 12th Man.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll spoke about the confidence the team has at home, via Seattle's official account:

Part of the reason for Seattle making the Super Bowl run last year was having home-field advantage. Earning that luxury again this season, the Seahawks will pull out a much closer win than some might expect.

Both teams have enjoyed outstanding defensive play down the stretch, with both defenses ranking in the top 10 in yards allowed. Depending on which quarterback thrives late in the game, Cam Newton or Russell Wilson might be coming away with a huge win to move forward.

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