The other half of both conference championship games will be decided on Sunday with matchups between clubs that all won at least 12 regular season games. An AFC tilt between division winners has the Cincinnati Bengals visiting the Buffalo Bills. The teams will get a chance to put the debate over which team is the best to rest after their regular season game was cancelled. The Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers meet for the second straight postseason renewing a bitter playoff rivalry from the 1990s.
Winners of nine straight games following a 24-17 decision over Baltimore last week, the Bengals hit the road with wins and covers in each of their last four away contests. And hopefully this game has less drama, at least in terms of player safety, than the first meeting. You might recall the much-anticipated Week 17 contest was canceled after Damar Hamlin suffered a medical emergency on the field. Buffalo advanced with a tougher than expected 34-31 win over Miami last week failing to cover the 14-point line. The Bills have won their last four home playoff games and are a 4-point favorite to advance.
Looking to avenge last season’s wild card loss to the Niners, the Cowboys opened as a 4-point underdog against arguably the hottest team in the NFL. Dallas responded to its awful Week 18 performance by thrashing the Bucs, 31-14, on Monday behind four touchdown passes from Dak Prescott. The Boys covered the 2.5-point line earning just their second payout in the last six games. Rookie sensation Brock Purdy is unbeaten since taking over and the Niners have won 11 straight going 9-2 ATS. They trounced Seattle, 41-23, in the wild card round and have scored at least 37 points in four straight games, and the offense isn’t even the best unit on the team.
NFL Divisional Playoffs Betting Odds
Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills
Date and Time: Sunday, January 22, 2023, 3 p.m. ET
Location: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
Opening NFL Odds: Bills -5, O/U 47.5
Bengals at Bills TV Coverage: CBS
The regular season game was billed as one of the most anticipated with playoff seeding on the line. Since that game never came to a conclusion the excitement just grew for this matchup. The defending AFC champions are in a groove winning nine straight while going 7-1-1 ATS. Like the Bills they faced an opponent in the wild card round at less than 100 percent. And despite all the offensive weapons, it was a defensive score that proved to be the game-winner against the Ravens. Joe Burrow has been marvelous during the winning streak, but he had only 209 passing yards in 32 attempts and the Bengals managed just 234 total yards. That won’t get it done on the road against the Bills.
Buffalo also had to fight off a game opponent last week overcoming three turnovers and seven sacks to turn back the Dolphins and third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson, 34-31. Josh Allen put up MVP numbers during the season and threw for 352 yards and three TDs last week. But he’s had a problem protecting the football throwing two picks and losing a fumble to the Fins that nearly cost his team the game. The Bengals have issues on the O line with Jonah Williams injured last week and unlikely to play.
NFL Pick: Buffalo Bills -5 / OVER 47.5
Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers
Date and Time: Sunday, January 22, 2023, 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Opening NFL Odds: 49ers -4, O/U 46.5
Cowboys at 49ers TV Coverage: FOX
Fans from the 1990s remember the classic matchups between these clubs. The teams dominated the league in the early part of the decade playing in three straight NFC Championship games. Each time the winner went on to win the Super Bowl. The rivalry was renewed last year with the Niners winning after the clock expired on Dallas. And avenging that setback will take a major effort on the part of the Boys. San Fran’s offense is humming with Purdy at the helm and the defense has been among if not the best all season leading to 11 straight victories.
Purdy overcame a slow start last week throwing for 332 yards and three TDs against Seattle. He has 16 scoring passes and just four interceptions this season. But this could be his stiffest test against the aggressive Cowboys. Dallas led the NFL in takeaways and picked off Tom Brady in last week’s decisive victory. And the offense totaled 425 yards with Prescott throwing for 305 yards and Tony Pollard rushing for 77. The Niners have all kinds of weapons but so do the Cowboys, and that will carry the visitors to an upset.
NFL Pick: Dallas Cowboys +4 / OVER 46.5
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