NFL Playoffs Odds: Spreads & Totals for Wild Card Round
The 2023-24 NFL regular season is almost in the rearview mirror. Now it’s time to take an early look at NFL playoffs odds for the Wild Card round games.
With the 4 p.m. ET slate done, we know nearly all of next weekend's matchups and are still awaiting clarity in others. Here's a look at the updated opening odds for the NFL Wild Card games.
Odds via FanDuel as of Sunday, 10 p.m. ET.
NFL Playoffs Odds | Spreads, Totals for Wild Card Round
Browns vs. Texans Odds
| Source | Odds |
|---|---|
| FanDuel Spread | Browns -1.5 |
| FanDuel Total | 43 |
The Browns’ offense has come together with Joe Flacco under center, but it’s been the defense that has led the way all season, ranking near the top of DVOA throughout the campaign. That unit is led by Myles Garrett, who’s the favorite to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. Cleveland finished the season 11-6 against the spread and 10-6-1 to the over. Of note, Browns road games started the regular season 7-0 to the over.
The Texans hit home runs during the offseason by hiring DeMeco Ryans as head coach and then drafting C.J. Stroud. They checked two major boxes that had been question marks in recent years. Also, drafting Will Anderson third overall was the cherry on top. The Texans finished the regular season 9-8 against the spread this season and surprisingly just 6-11 to the over.
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Dolphins vs. Chiefs Odds
| Source | Odds |
|---|---|
| FanDuel Spread | Chiefs -3.5 |
| FanDuel Total | 45 |
Miami has been pretty steady all season. Its longest winning streak was three games, and it never lost consecutive games. Having a high-powered offense like this unit helps, although it has disappeared against some noteworthy opponents. The Dolphins scored just 20 points in Buffalo in Week 4, 17 in Philadelphia in Week 7, 14 in Germany against the Chiefs in Week 9 and then 19 against the Ravens in Week 17.
The Dolphins enter the postseason 10-7 against the spread and 9-8 to the over. The Chiefs also are 10-7 ATS and set to be the No. 3 seed, but this doesn’t feel like the Chiefs of recent years.
Instead of a high-powered, efficient offense, it’s been the Chiefs’ defense that has been the star of the show. Kansas City allowed 282 points in its first 16 games of the season, which was the second-lowest total in the AFC behind the Ravens (263).
Steelers vs. Bills Odds
| Source | Odds |
|---|---|
| FanDuel Spread | Bills -10 |
| FanDuel Total | 41.5 |
Death, taxes and Mike Tomlin's team finishing over .500. Pittsburgh finished the season 10-7 against the spread and 6-11 to the over. Despite starting three quarterbacks this season and the guy who started the season as the third-stringer ending the season on top, Pittsburgh is headed to Buffalo for the playoffs.
Mason Rudolph has somewhat ignited this Steelers' offense, which is a quarterback shy of really taking flight. The defense that kept Pittsburgh afloat this season suffered a big blow in Week 18, though, in the form of T.J. Watt's knee injury. It looks like the Steelers will be without the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award winner for Wild Card Weekend.
At 6-6 entering their Week 13 bye week, the Bills looked like they might have been down and out, especially coming off a brutal overtime loss to the Eagles.
Instead, Buffalo rattled off four straight wins, including in Kansas City and at home against Dallas, and put itself in playoff position entering its huge Week 18 matchup against the Dolphins. After that loss in Philadelphia, you could have gotten at least +5000 for the Bills to win the Super Bowl.
Packers vs. Cowboys Odds
| Source | Odds |
|---|---|
| FanDuel Spread | Cowboys -7 |
| FanDuel Total | 47.5 |
The 2023-24 Cowboys are a tale of two teams: the one that plays at home and the other that has to travel. If Dallas played every game at AT&T Stadium, Dak Prescott would be the MVP frontrunner and the team would be competing with the 49ers for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Alas, that’s not how things work. Fortunately for the Cowboys, they play their Wild Card game at home as the N0. 2 seed and can play there in the divisional round with a win.
The Packers were 3-6 after a Week 10 loss to the Steelers but rattled off six wins in their last eight games to get into the playoffs. It’s an impressive accomplishment for a team that was supposed to be “rebuilding” with first-year starter Jordan Love under center.
Love finished the season with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, having proven that Green Bay has found yet another strong starter at quarterback. Green Bay finished the season 9-8 against the spread (4-5 on the road) and 10-6 to the over.
Rams vs. Lions Odds
| Source | Odds |
|---|---|
| FanDuel Spread | Lions -3.5 |
| FanDuel Total | 50.5 |
It seems like the Lions are everybody’s second-favorite team this season, especially bettors. It’s tough to dislike head coach Dan Campbell, whose case is helped by Detroit’s 12-5 record against the spread (ATS) this season. Surprisingly, the Lions are 5-3 ATS at home but 7-2 on the road.
What the Lions have done well this season since their Week 1 win over the Chiefs is beat teams that they’re supposed to beat. The Lions have lost to the Seahawks, Ravens, Packers, Bears and Cowboys, while they haven’t beaten a team over .500 since that win over Kansas City.
You often hear about how teams want to be playing their best football in January, and that’s certainly the case for the Rams. Los Angeles went into its Week 10 bye coming off a loss in Green Bay without Matthew Stafford at 3-6. Since then, the Rams have won six of their last seven and entered Week 18 assured of a playoff spot.
Eagles vs. Buccaneers Odds
| Source | Odds |
|---|---|
| FanDuel Spread | Eagles -1.5 |
| FanDuel Total | 45 |
Not many people expected the Buccaneers to be in the playoffs. Tampa Bay’s win total before the season was 6.5 with juice on the under.
Obviously, the Bucs’ case was helped by playing in the NFC South, which is the weakest division in the NFL. Tampa Bay’s best win was in Week 16 against the Jaguars, although Trevor Lawrence was clearly not 100% and missed Week 17. That win over Jacksonville was the Bucs’ only win over a team that entered Week 18 over .500.
Tampa Bay finished the season at 11-6 against the spread and 6-11 to the over, which makes sense given its strong defensive performance.
The Eagles’ record is impressive, but this is clearly not the same team that steamrolled through the NFC last season.
Philadelphia entered Week 18 with a +22 point differential that was seventh in the NFC, although it was tied for the second-best record. For reference, the Eagles had a +133 differential last season when they went 14-3.
The market quickly caught up with Philly’s struggles (tough to say that when it still has double-digit wins), and the Eagles entered Week 18 at 8-7-1 against the spread and 9-7 to the over. Of note, though, they were 7-1 to the over at home and 2-6 on the road ahead of their Week 18 matchup.
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