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NFL Playoff Odds 2020: Divisional-Round Picks and Super Bowl Predictions
January 9, 2020
The race to Super Bowl LIV is getting tight. Only eight teams remain, and that number will be cut in half during the divisional round.
Even though the eight remaining teams should be commended for their efforts, not all of them are viewed as contenders. Injuries are a serious problem for some, while spending Wild Card Weekend on bye is an advantage for others.
Here, we run down the latest Super Bowl odds from Caesars, examine the odds, over/unders and schedule for the divisional round, make some Super Bowl predictions and dive into some of the latest playoff-related buzz.
First up, the Super Bowl odds for the remaining eight teams.
Super Bowl Odds
Baltimore Ravens 2-1
San Francisco 49ers 3-1
Kansas City Chiefs 3-1
Green Bay Packers 8-1
Seattle Seahawks 15-1
Minnesota Vikings 16-1
Tennessee Titans 30-1
Houston Texans 40-1
NFL Divisional Round
Saturday, January 11
Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers
When: 4:35 p.m. ET
TV and Live Stream: NBC, NBC Sports
Line, O/U: SF -7, 44.5
Prediction: San Francisco 27-22
Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens
When: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV and Live Stream: CBS, CBS All Access
Line, O/U: BAL -10, 46.5
Prediction: Baltimore 28-26
Sunday, January 12
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs
When: 3:05 p.m. ET
TV and Live Stream: CBS, CBS All Access
Line, O/U: KC -10, 51
Prediction: Kansas City 34-23
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers
When: 6:40 p.m. ET
TV and Live Stream: Fox, Fox Sports Go
Line, O/U: GB -4, 47
Prediction: Green Bay 30-22
Latest Playoff Buzz
Vikings Could Have Issues at Receiver
The Minnesota Vikings are going to need all of the offensive firepower they can muster against the San Francisco 49ers and their vaunted defense. Unfortunately, they may be hurting at the receiver position Saturday.
Wideout Stefon Diggs is dealing with an illness and sat out practice Tuesday and Wednesday. The good news is that the Vikings don't expect the illness to keep him from playing against San Francisco.
"He's sick," head coach Mike Zimmer said, per ESPN's Courtney Cronin. "He'll be fine."
Perhaps a bigger concern is that fellow wideout Adam Thielen suffered an ankle injury Wednesday, according to Cronin. Thielen missed six games during the regular season with a hamstring injury.
Defensively, the Vikings will be without cornerback Mackensie Alexander, who is dealing with a meniscus tear:
Mark Ingram II Considered Day-to-Day
Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram II suffered a calf injury during a Week 16 win over the Cleveland Browns. A week ago, it appeared that he would be ready to play in the divisional round. However, he suffered a setback and appears to be in danger of missing the critical matchup with the Tennessee Titans.
Ingram missed practice again Wednesday and should be considered a legitimate question mark.
"It's day to day, so we'll see," offensive coordinator Greg Roman said, per Ryan Mink of the team's official website. "But that's how it is in this league. You just have to be ready to adapt and adjust as it happens, like in the course of a game."
If the Ravens do have to adapt to Ingram's absence, fellow running back Gus Edwards should be capable of handling the load. He chipped in with an impressive 711 rushing yards during the regular season and had 130 rushing yards as the team's starter in the finale.
Travis Kelce Limited
While his situation doesn't appear as dicey as Ingram's, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is dealing with a knee injury, according to Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk. Though Kelce didn't miss practice, he wasn't a full participant.
"He was listed as limited with a knee issue, and the rest of the week's practices should provide some sign of whether it will have any impact on his availability for Sunday," Alper wrote.
Kelce, who finished the regular season with 1,229 receiving yards and five touchdowns, is one of quarterback Patrick Mahomes' top targets. Not having him—or not having him at 100 percent—would present a problem against the Houston Texans.
Another potential issue for Kansas City is the face that cornerback Morris Claiborne missed practice.
The Chiefs recently placed safety Juan Thornhill on injured reserve, which could affect their ability to contain the likes of Deshaun Watson, DeAndre Hopkins and Duke Johnson Jr. Though Claiborne (shoulder) hasn't played since Week 13, his return would be a boon against an offensively explosive opponent.
Predictions for AFC and NFC Championship Games
Sunday, January 19
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens
When: 3:05 p.m. ET
TV and Live Stream: CBS, CBS All Access
Prediction: Kansas City 30-27
Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers
When: 6:40 p.m. ET
TV and Live Stream: Fox, Fox Sports Go
Prediction: San Francisco 33-20
Super Bowl LIV Prediction
Sunday, February 2
Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers
When: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV and Live Stream: Fox, Fox Sports Go
Prediction: Kansas City 36-33