NFL Playoff Picture 2020: AFC, NFC Brackets, Odds, Scenarios and Picks

From 32 to 12 to eight. The NFL divisional round is here, and the teams playing professional football are now all about the ground game and big mojo.

Every bye-week team is a favorite, and rightly so, but the spreads in Vegas are bold. Only one game's line is under a touchdown with Caesars. While valid given only four lower-seeded teams have won a game in the divisional round over the past four years, many of the games have been close, and this season's field is incredibly tight.

The Baltimore Ravens feel like a cut above the rest, but every team has enough juice to make things competitive. 

We'll sort through the brackets, with odds and over/unders from Caesars, discuss the scenarios and then why the Minnesota Vikings (at the San Francisco 49ers) and Tennessee Titans (at the Baltimore Ravens) are the most likely teams to beat the spread despite losing efforts.

Postseason Bracket

Divisional Round Schedule and Odds

Saturday, January 11

Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers (-7.0) (O/U 44.5, 4:35 p.m. ET)

Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens (-10.0) (O/U 47.0, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Sunday, January 12

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (-10.0) (O/U 51.0, 3:05 p.m. ET)

Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers (-4.5) (O/U 46.5, 6:40 p.m. ET)

All times ET. Picks against the spread in bold. Odds according to Caesars.

Scenarios

If the top seeds win this Saturday, they are guaranteed home-field advantage in the next round. If the Ravens somehow lose to the Titans, though, whichever of the Kansas City Chiefs or Houston Texans wins will be the home team in the AFC Championship Game.

As for the NFC, if the 49ers lose, then the wild-card SeattleSeahawks have a chance to send their conference's championship match to CenturyLink Field. In the event of a 49ers loss, a win over the Green Bay Packers would give the Seahawks home-field advantage against the Vikings because of a one-win lead on the season. If the Seahawks lose, then the Packers and Minnesota would take their rivalry to Green Bay.

Picks

Minnesota Vikings 24, San Francisco 49ers 28

The other NFC matchup features a Seattle team that loves to run the ball but has a veritable retirement home in its running back room. Those Seahawks face a Packers team that, while shaky at times this year, is healthy and less reliant on Aaron Rodgers' heroics now that its defense and ground game are dangerous.

Minnesota and San Francisco are a much closer match despite the seven-point spread. The Vikings have been counted out time and time again, but in stark contrast to Seattle, Minnesota's running backs are healthy and potent.

These teams match up particularly well. Each defense is fronted by a premier line and boasts playmakers in the secondary, while each offense likes to prioritize the run while showing flashes through the air. Since Minnesota's defense has been inconsistent and their tight end is not George Kittle, the 49ers have an obvious advantage on defense and at tight end. But the Vikings have an advantage at running back and wide receiver—especially if Adam Thielen finds his health before game time.

Ultimately, this game is likely to come down to the quarterbacks. Dalvin Cook and San Francisco's backs, led by Raheem Mostert, are sure to eat, and the defensive lines are bound to get home too.

While Jimmy Garoppolo should feed Kittle and his playmaking wide receivers enough to get the win, Kirk Cousins showed enough during Wild Card Weekend to believe he can make this close. Stefon Diggs is an automatic double-team, and the holidays are running into the new year because Kyle Rudolph, the Red Zone Reindeer, is going to apply pressure to a 49ers defense that has given up 31.8 points per game over its past four.

Tennessee Titans 28, Baltimore Ravens 35

Houston and Kansas City felt like the right choice here. The Texans beat the Chiefs by a touchdown in Week 6 and are coming off the high of some game-winning magic by Deshaun Watson. But somehow, that game's 10-point spread feels like more of a trap than the Titans' showdown with the Chiefs. 

Houston needed magic to beat the Buffalo Bills in overtime and, despite J.J. Watt's impressive return, it's hard not to feel they will be blown out by Kansas City. The Chiefs have used motion on only 14.5 percent of Patrick Mahomes' passes here, and it's hard not to agree with Clay Wendler in believing that Andy Reid's offense has some serious flash saved for the postseason.

As for why the Titans can be more competitive against the Ravens, there's just something in the air about Tennessee. But more importantly, there's something on the ground too: human monster truck show Derrick Henry. Over 6'2", over 230 pounds and, at all times, possibly the fastest player on the field. 

The Titans are massive, mean, downright bullies. Nobody wants to tackle A.J. Brown, few linebackers can catch Jonnu Smith and there is not a single soul who wants to get anywhere near Henry or his armada of barrel-chested, cannon-armed linemen. And at the reins, Ryan Tannehill is resurgent and playing with so much unabashed swagger that you would think Jay Cutler and Brett Favre performed a fusion dance.

The Ravens are the Ravens. Unless this jinxes it, they will win the Super Bowl. Even with Mark Ingram possibly hobbled, they have no cracks. But even the best game plan and most incredible group of talent can be forced into a one-score game. The Titans are a balanced, defensive-minded, rock-pounding team, and they will punch Baltimore in the mouth before getting knocked out.