2025-26 NFL Divisional Round Betting - Bet on NFL Playoffs

NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round Betting

A change to the NFL playoff format a few years ago added a wild card team in each conference and removed a first-round bye into the divisional round. Now only the top seed in each conference gets a pass putting more stress on performance during the regular season. Last season the Kansas City Chiefs had the best regular season record in the AFC and the Detroit Lions captured the NFC with both winning 15 games. After a grueling 17-game schedule it’s a plus getting to watch the first week of playoffs.

Since the playoff format was altered in 2021, exactly half of the No. 1 seeds have advanced to the Super Bowl. The Chiefs did it last year beating Houston in the divisional round and Buffalo in the AFC Championship. The Lions were an unfortunate victim with injuries finally catching up to them. Even the off week wasn’t enough to recover and they fell to Washington, 45-31. Detroit amassed over 500 total yards and outdueled the team formerly known as the Redskins, but they couldn’t overcome three Jared Goff interceptions and five turnovers.

Under the old format the NFC’s Philadelphia Eagles and AFC’s Buffalo Bills would’ve enjoyed a bye into the divisional round. That’s no longer the case but the No. 2 seeds still reached their respective conference championship game with the Eagles going on to and winning the Super Bowl in convincing fashion over KC. The Bills beat Kansas City during the regular season but failed again when it mattered most. They were eliminated by KC for the fourth time in the last five seasons, twice in the divisional round and twice in the AFC Championship.

NFL Betting Lines

2025-26 NFL Divisional Round Playoff

Saturday, January 17, 2026 (2 Games)

Sunday, January 18, 2026 (2 Games)

Divisional Round Results (2000)

As the postseason continues you would expect the games to get tighter. That hasn’t been the case over the past two seasons with the winning teams in the divisional round scoring at least 23 points and the eight games averaging more than 51 points. In those games the OVER cashed five times with a push. Buffalo and KC not only have a rivalry going spearheaded by two of the top gunslingers in the NFL, they’ve both reached the divisional round in each of the last five seasons with KC’s run extending to seven years. There could be many more with Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes in the prime of their careers.

The biggest blowout in the modern-day NFL playoffs happened in the divisional round of the 1999-00 NFL postseason. Jacksonville demolished Miami 62-7 at home in what ended up being the great Dan Marino’s last game. Marino could only complete 11 of 25 passes for 95 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in the 55-point loss. He was pulled due to injury, and Damon Huard couldn’t do any better by completing 5 of 16 passes for 46 yards. The Dolphins ended the day with just 131 total yards and turned the ball over seven times.

Meanwhile, Jacksonville could do no wrong in the win. Mark Brunell threw only nine passes before giving way to Jay Fielder when the game turned into a rout. The Jaguars had 520 total yards of offense and scored 62 points despite turning the ball over twice on the day.

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