The Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs gets underway with a couple of exciting matchups Saturday. Let’s try to add to the fun with a few wagers to consider. All odds were obtained from the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Los Angeles Rams @ Green Bay Packers: Cam Akers Over 16.5 Rush Attempts (-143)
It took a while for Akers to become the Rams’ featured running back. Across his first nine games, he only received at least 10 rushing attempts two times. There were even two games in which he was active but didn’t receive a single carry. However, he began to establish himself as the season wore on, receiving at least 21 carries in three of the final four games of the regular season.
Now with Darrell Henderson (ankle) on IR, Malcolm Brown is the only competition for Akers for carries. In the two games since Henderson went down, Akers has received 21 and 28 carries, respectively. Jared Goff is still recovering from a thumb injury, and the Rams would likely love to keep the ball away from the Packers’ offense, so expect Akers to be busy in this contest.
Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens: Bills ML (-143)
It didn’t come without plenty of anxious moments, but the Bills were eventually able to knock off the Colts last week in what was their first playoff win in 25 years. Josh Allen carried over his MVP-caliber regular season by throwing for 324 yards and two touchdowns in the first round. It also marked the sixth time in the last seven games that he had a completion rate of at least 70 percent. Add that to his ability to run the ball and he’s one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the league.
Speaking of running quarterbacks, the Ravens have the best one in the league in Lamar Jackson. He smoked the Titans in the Wild-Card Round, rushing 16 times for 136 yards and a touchdown. The question here is, can the Ravens keep up with the Bills’ high-powered offense? Including the playoffs, the Bills are now 8-1 at home this season. This has the makings of a close contest, but I’ll give the edge to the Bills because of their advantage of playing at home.
Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens: J.K. Dobbins To Score a Touchdown (+120)
In my preview article for this game, I discussed the Bills’ difficulties stopping the run this season, which included them allowing the sixth-most rushing touchdowns in the league. Enter Dobbins, who has recorded at least one rushing touchdown in seven straight games. During that stretch, he has received 21 carries inside the red zone. At plus odds, it might be worth taking a chance on him to score again in this Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs game.
