NFL Playoff Picture 2020: Odds and Scenarios for Sunday's Wild Card Games

There are two places still up for grabs in the NFL divisional round, with four NFC outfits in action Sunday in what should be a couple of fascinating contests.

First up, the Minnesota Vikings face an unenviable challenge, as they are on the road against the New Orleans Saints. Following that encounter is arguably the most evenly matched of the Wild Card Round fixtures, with the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Seattle Seahawks.

After two gripping contests on Saturday, it's unsurprising that there's a huge appetite for these clashes. Here are the latest odds for both encounters and a closer look at the scenarios likely to decide each match.

Sunday, Jan. 5

No. 6 Minnesota at No. 3 New Orleans (-7.5), 1:05 p.m. ET (18-30)

No. 5 Seattle (-1.5) at No. 4 Philadelphia, 4:40 p.m. ET (33-28)

Odds courtesy of Caesars. 

Vikings at Saints

Of all the teams on the road in Wild Card Weekend, the most challenging task is arguably that of the Vikings, who travel to New Orleans.

Minnesota enjoyed a solid regular season, finishing 10-6 overall. It means a first trip to the postseason for quarterback Kirk Cousins, who will be buoyed by the return of star running back Dalvin Cook.

The Vikings have happy memories of playoff matches against the Saints too; Stefon Diggs scored a last-gasp touchdown to win a divisional-round game against New Orleans in January 2018:

For a number of Saints players, that loss will still be fresh in their minds, and they will be desperate to put an end to the Vikings' season at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome as such.

It would be a shock if they didn't, as Drew Brees has been in outstanding form in recent weeks, giving New Orleans a lot of momentum going into the playoffs. The team's Twitter account noted how strongly he finished the season:

In Michael Thomas, they also have the NFL's best receiver, as he broke Marvin Harrison's single-season record for most caught passes. Stopping the duo of him and Brees in front of a lively crowd in New Orleans will be too much of an ask for the Vikings.

Seahawks at Eagles

The final match of Wild Card Weekend is arguably the most difficult to predict, with the Eagles facing the Seahawks.

Philadelphia was inconsistent throughout the regular season in the main, but in the crunch weeks of the campaign, the Eagles were at their best. That's largely due to the form of quarterback Carson Wentz, who is set to line up in a playoff encounter for the first time.

Jeff Skversky of 6abc commented on what an effective season the signal-caller had in 2019:

While Wentz has got by without an ace receiver this term, you sense that the entire team will need to show their quality if the Eagles are going to overcome the Seahawks.

Although they were beaten by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17, thus missing out on the NFC West title, the Seahawks remain one of the standout teams in the NFL. With Russell Wilson at quarterback and Pete Carroll on the sidelines, they also have plenty of postseason experience to tap into.

Gregg Bell of the News Tribune put Carroll's achievements as the team's head coach into context:

Wentz has been fantastic in clutch moments for the Eagles, and with him under center, the home crowd will feel they have a chance. However, the Seahawks have more canny operators throughout their roster. And in what promises to be an even encounter, that nous will be the deciding factor.