NFL Playoff Picks 2016: Latest Odds and Predictions for Divisional Round
Well, that was completely unexpected. After watching the Kansas City Chiefs embarrass the Houston Texans at home in the opening game of the playoffs, the quality of football changed dramatically and left fans with plenty to look forward to next weekend.
From a late rally then implosion by the Cincinnati Bengals to a missed chip shot field goal by the Minnesota Vikings, the Wild Card Games had plenty to talk about. But with some of the best teams in the league ready to play their first games of the postseason, the divisional round could be even more interesting.
Peyton Manning returns to the starting lineup against the injury plagued Pittsburgh Steelers, the defending champs host the NFL’s hottest team as New England takes on Kansas City, the Green Bay Packers look to avenge a 30 point loss from Week 16 in Arizona and the Carolina Panthers hope to cement their credentials as this season’s best team by beating the league’s best from the past two years in the Seattle Seahawks.
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Let’s take a look at the odds for the divisional round of the NFL playoffs and see which teams are going to make it on to their conference title games with a shot at the Super Bowl.
| 4:35 p.m. ET | Jan 16 | Kansas City | New England | NE -5 | 31-20 NE |
| 8:15 p.m. ET | Jan 16 | Green Bay | Arizona | Ariz -7.5 | 35-27 Ariz |
| 1:05 p.m. ET | Jan 17 | Seattle | Carolina | Car -3 | 28-24 Car |
| 4:40 p.m. ET | Jan 17 | Pittsburgh | Denver | Den -6.5 | 24-14 Den |
New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs have easily been the hottest team in the NFL as the season drew to a close, and their high level of play absolutely continued against the Houston Texans on Saturday. Outclassing the No. 4 seed from the start, Kansas City coasted to a huge win and a spot in the divisional rounds.
Unfortunately for Kansas City, though, standing in the way of a trip to the AFC Championship game is Tom Brady and the defending champs, the New England Patriots. Oddly, Bill Belichick's team is in its worst form of the season, losing back-to-back games to end the year, which gives the Chiefs hope.
But hope isn’t enough to upset the Patriots in Foxborough, Massachusetts, in the playoffs. Credit where credit is due, the Chiefs have had a fantastic run and deserve to be where they are, but New England will be too much for Kansas City as Brady looks to get back to the Super Bowl this season.
Prediction: Patriots 31, Chiefs 20
Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are 11-6 this season and into the second round of the NFL playoffs, so why does it feel like this season has been one of "what if?" for Aaron Rodgers and company? What if Jordy Nelson was healthy? How good could this team be?
We might never know what could have been for the Packers this year, but what we do know is that Green Bay is apparently out of the funk it was in at the end of the season. Beating up Washington in the Wild Card Game, the Packers look back to their best for a rematch against the Arizona Cardinals.
Having beaten the Packers 38-8 at home only a few weeks ago, Arizona has to be careful of feeling to comfortable coming into this game or risk letting Rodgers turn the tide early.
As long as there isn’t a let down mentally, though, the Cardinals have been the better team all season and should be able to lean on their high-flying offense—even if the defense gives up a few points—en route to another victory over Green Bay.
Prediction: Cardinals 35, Packers 27
Carolina Panthers vs. Seattle Seahawks
As the Carolina Panthers continued to pile up the wins during the regular season, it almost felt surreal. This was a team that made the playoffs the year before but was far from the elite squad that was making its way to the field each and every week.
The Panthers don’t have to prove their merit as the No. 1 seed anymore—there are few, if any, doubters remaining—but perhaps the stiffest test of the season lies ahead in the Seattle Seahawks, and the longevity of the season Carolina has put together could be on the line.
No one remembers the 15-1 team that loses in its first game of the postseason, but everyone remembers the team that makes it to the Super Bowl. Seattle has been to the last two, so if there is a passing of the torch moment to be had in this postseason, it is in this game.
Cam Newton should be rested and ready to go for this one, putting in an elite performance as the Panthers hold off a late rally from the Seahawks to earn a berth in the NFC Championship Game.
Prediction: Panthers 28, Seahawks 24
Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
It might not seem entirely fair to predict the outcome of a game based on the health of two players, but in the case of the Pittsburgh Steelers, it is the correct assessment of their chances against the Denver Broncos.
Already without one third of their superstar trio in Le’Veon Bell, two more of Pittsburgh's top offensive stars in the form of Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger picked up injuries against the Cincinnati Bengals and might not be 100 percent if they are even available for the divisional round.
Against a Broncos team with one of the best defenses in the league, getting anything but the best out of Brown and Roethlisberger might not be enough—and even then Denver could still completely shut down Pittsburgh offensively—which puts the Steelers in a tough spot. Peyton Manning and the Denver offense should do enough to pull out a win in a defense battle.
Prediction: Broncos 24, Steelers 14
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