NFL playoffs picks – Syndication Server

NFL Playoff Divisional Round First Thought Predictions, Lines

NFL Playoff Divisional Round early predictions, guessed lines, and quick thoughts on the four big upcoming games.

The first predictions, early lines, and quick analysis of the next batch of NFL Playoff Divisional round games.

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NFL Playoff Divisional Round First Thought Predictions
– New York at Philadelphia
– Cincinnati at Buffalo
– Dallas at San Francisco
– 2023 First Mock Draft: Post Wild Card

Well that was fun, but holy (bleep) does this next round of the NFL Playoffs look amazing

Even the blowouts – San Francisco over Seattle and Dallas over Tampa Bay – were entertaining in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs.

It would’ve been interesting to see what the Minnesota offense could’ve done at San Francisco, but getting Giants and Eagles with an NFC Championship appearance on the line is special. Dallas at San Francisco? For people of a certain age, that just sounds massive.

Bengals and Bills? This HAD to happen, and let’s go Jaguars – let’s see that attack against Kansas City (and help me with my belief that Jacksonville might be this year’s Cincinnati).

When our game previews come out – after the news of the week happens and there’s even more of a deep dive – these can and might change, but …

2023 NFL Playoffs Divisional Round: Saturday

Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs

Saturday, January 21
NBC, 4:30 ET
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

First Thought Instant Analysis: We can’t have another No. 1 AFC seed go out right away, can we?

Kansas City is rested, it’s got the weapons that last year’s No. 1 AFC Tennessee didn’t have, and it should be able to take what Justin Herbert and the Chargers did against Jacksonville to another level.

But the Chief defense doesn’t really take the ball away.

That shouldn’t matter since Trevor Lawrence should be good for at least one big mistake on his own, but it really comes down to this …

How fast can Lawrence settle in?

He’s been so hyped and so amped and so off the last few games that he just needs to get off to a decent start and not try to do a gajillion things at once on each play. That, and he needs to read the Chief defense far, far, far better than he did early against the Chargers.

Lawrence will be good, the Jaguar offense will be great, and … Brandon Staley isn’t coaching the Chiefs.

It’ll be a back-and-forth fight with a ton of scoring and a whole lot of big plays, but this week the Jaguars aren’t going to be able to get over the big run from Patrick Mahomes and company coming in the second quarter.

First Thought No Research Prediction: Kansas City 34, Jacksonville 23
Early Line No-Look Guess: Kansas City -7.5
Actual Line: Kansas City -8.5, o/u: 51.5

NFL Playoff Divisional Round First Thought Predictions
– New York at Philadelphia
– Cincinnati at Buffalo
– Dallas at San Francisco

NEXT: New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles Divisional Round

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NFL Playoff Divisional Round First Thought Predictions, Lines

NFL Playoff Divisional Round early predictions, guessed lines, and quick thoughts on the four big games.

The first predictions, early lines, and quick analysis of all the 2022 NFL playoff games.

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NFL Playoff Divisional Round First Thought Predictions
– San Francisco at Green Bay
– Buffalo at Kansas City
– Los Angeles or Arizona at Tampa Bay

Let’s just hope that all of that will bring us something wonderful.

Oh sure, Las Vegas made things interesting against Cincinnati at the end, and the world is still waiting for Dallas to finally wake up and start playing against San Francisco, but Tampa Bay over Philadelphia was a dud.

Kansas City over Pittsburgh turned into breathtaking dud. Buffalo over New England became a shocking dud.

Fortunately, here come the killer matchups that should be a whole lot more fun. So what’s going to happen?

As we do for the college side, we go with the first-guess picks and then work from there. Like they tell you in third grade, always go with your first answer.

I don’t look at the lines, guess at what they are, and then add them at the end.

Last year I totally rocked the Wild Card round – 6-0 straight up and 5-1 against the spread – but this time around? Uhhhhh, as the man said, it’s on to Cincinnati – or, Cincinnati vs Tennessee – going 3-2 both straight up and against the spread with the Rams-Arizona game pending.

When our game previews come out – after the news of the week happens and there’s even more of a deep dive happening – these can and might change, but …

2022 NFL Playoffs Divisional Round: Saturday

4 Cincinnati at 1 Tennessee

Saturday, January 22
CBS, 4:30 ET
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN

Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: Just how healthy is Derrick Henry?

That’s it. That’s everything.

D’Onta Foreman has done a nice job over the back half of the season for the Titans, and the defense has been terrific, but this comes down to whether or not the offense can control the tempo of the game and take the will away from the Cincinnati defense.

The Bengals were great against Las Vegas. Joe Burrow was sharp, Joe Mixon ran well, and the offense popped for over 300 yards in the 26-19 win.

However, there was a stretch in the second half when the Raider offensive line took over and Josh Jacobs was effective enough to change the overall energy of the game. That’s what Henry has to do, and if he can’t get rolling, then it’ll be Foreman.

Originally, the call was that New England was going to roll on into Nashville and grind its way to a win … oops. Cincinnati will get the offense going, but the rested Titans will come back in the second half with the ground game and fantastic run defense getting this done.

Knee-Jerk No Research Prediction: Tennessee 26, Cincinnati 20
Early Line No-Look Guess: Tennessee -3.5
Actual Line: Tennessee -3.5, o/u: 47

NFL Playoff Divisional Round First Thought Predictions
– San Francisco at Green Bay
– Buffalo at Kansas City
– Los Angeles or Arizona at Tampa Bay

NEXT: San Francisco at Green Bay Divisional Round

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NFL Playoff First Thought Predictions, Lines, Bracket, Super Bowl Pick

2022 NFL Playoff first predictions, early lines, and picks for every game through the bracket

The first predictions, early lines, and quick analysis on all of the 2022 NFL playoff games from the Wild Card through the Super Bowl.

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We’re here after a wild and fun regular season – and an all-timer of a finish – with the most wide open NFL playoffs in a long, long time.

Who’s going to win, how will the bracket go, and who’ll win the Super Bowl?

As we do for the college side, we go with the first-guess picks and then work from there. The idea is to go with the first answer, and then adjust from there once we do the game previews and predictions.

– 2022 NFL Draft First 16 Picks Mock Draft

2022 NFL Playoffs Wild Card Round: Saturday

AFC: 5 Las Vegas Raiders at 4 Cincinnati Bengals

Saturday, January 15
NBC/Peacock, 4:30 pm
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH

Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: Really? You’re going to go against this Las Vegas team that keeps on fighting through the adversity to play with the ultimate Raider swagger?

Yeah, and not just because Cincinnati rolled 32-13 when the two played in Week 11.

The Bengal star power got a week off to get everyone as right as can be, and Las Vegas had the emotional Sunday night game – that extra time will matter just enough. It won’t be the wipeout of earlier in the season, and the Bengals will press way too much, but Joe Burrow will get his first NFL playoff win.

Knee-Jerk No Research Prediction: Cincinnati 30, Las Vegas 23
Early Line No-Look Guess: Cincinnati -7.5
Actual Line: COMING, o/u: COMING

AFC: 6 New England Patriots at 3 Buffalo Bills

Saturday, January 15
CBS/Paramount+, 8:15 pm
Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY

Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: It stinks that these two are playing in the Wild Card round. Either one could go on a run and either one would do some damage if they didn’t have to play each other.

Can New England get everything back up to speed? They’ve now lost three of their last four game after the problems against Miami, and before that was the crazy weather game against Buffalo.

You never want to go against Bill Belichick – especially since this is the third time they’ve played in seven weeks – but at home, in front of that crowd, the Buffalo team that’s past the midseason doldrums will rise up against the run. The Patriot defense, placekicking, and coaching will be better.

Knee-Jerk No Research Prediction: New England 19, Buffalo 17
Early Line No-Look Guess: Buffalo -3.5
Actual Line: COMING, o/u: COMING

NFL Playoff First Thought Predictions
– Wild Card: Saturday | Wild Card: Sunday
– Divisional Round: NFC | AFC
– Conference Championships
– Super Bowl Prediction

NEXT: 2022 NFL Playoffs Wild Card Round: Sunday, Monday

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NFL Playoff Conference Championship First Thought Predictions, Lines

The first predictions, early lines, and quick analysis of all the 2021 NFL playoff games – the conference championship version.

The first predictions, early lines, and quick analysis of all the 2021 NFL playoff games – conference championship version.

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It makes sense that the best quarterbacks and the best teams are in conference championships, but assuming – and really, really hoping – Patrick Mahomes is okay and ready to roll for the AFC Championship, the star power coming up on Sunday is as good as it gets.

This isn’t Tom Brady vs. a Drew Brees who’s on his last ride before hitting the TV booth. This is Tom Brady vs. soon-to-be-MVP Aaron Rodgers in what’s expected to be the snow and cold of Green Bay.

It’s Mahomes – again, fingers crossed – vs. Josh Allen in a battle of superstars who’ll be a big part of our NFL lives for the next decade.

Throw in the fun of a Buffalo Mafia fan base that’s losing its mind, the defending Super Bowl champs, Rodgers in his first home NFC Championship game, and Tom freaking Brady being a game away from another Super Bowl appearance, and …

Yeah. The NFL Playoffs are awesome.

As always, without doing any research or giving it a whole lot of deep-dive thought, we give our knee-jerk, always-go-with-your-first-answer thoughts and predictions along with a first guess line on each game. Then we go back and add the actual lines.

When our game previews come out – after the news of the week happens and we make the call for real – these can and might change, but …

NFL Playoff Conference Championship First Thought Predictions
– Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers
– Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs

NEXT: 2021 NFL Playoffs NFC Championship: Tampa Bay vs. Green Bay

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NFL Playoff Divisional Round First Thought Predictions, Lines

The first predictions, early lines, and quick analysis of all the 2021 NFL playoff games.

The first predictions, early lines, and quick analysis of all the 2021 NFL playoff games.

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NFL Playoff Divisional Round First Thought Predictions
– Baltimore at Buffalo
– Cleveland at Kansas City
– Tampa Bay at New Orleans

Well that was a whole big big of fantastic.

The massive expanded NFL Wild Card weekend was outstanding from beginning to end. Even when there was a bit of a dud – (cough) Chicago New Orleans (cough) – it was still relatively entertaining in the glut of all those games that matter.

And now we get even more fun.

Two games Saturday, two games Sunday, and they’re going to be loaded.

Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen headline Saturday night when Baltimore goes to Buffalo, and we get Round 3 of Brady vs. Brees when Tampa Bay goes to New Orleans to end Sunday night.

Oh yeah, and the Rams going to Green Bay on Saturday and Cleveland taking its show to Kansas City on Sunday isn’t bad either.

So what’s going to happen?

As we do this for the college side, we go with the first-guess picks and then work from there. Like they tell you in third grade, always go with your first answer. I don’t look at the lines, guess at what they are, and then add them at the end.

By the way … went 6-0 straight up and 5-1 against the spread when doing this for the Wild Card round.

However, when our game previews come out – after the news of the week happens and there’s even more of a deep dive happening – these can and might change, but …

2021 NFL Playoffs Divisional Round: Saturday

6 Los Angeles Rams at 1 Green Bay Packers

Saturday, January 16
FOX, 4:35 ET
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: The Rams were able to pull it off against a Seattle team that – for some bizarre reason – thought the answer to not being able to hit third down plays was to keep chucking it deep. Green Bay will be sharper all the way around.

That LA D – No. 1 in the NFL – is obviously amazing, but Aaron Donald is banged up, and as good as that performance against the Seahawks was, that’s not going to be enough to overcome a still-injured Jared Goff.

Green Bay doesn’t turn the ball over enough to matter here, but there’s a bigger problem … Green Bay.

It’s still almost a week away, but it’s expected to be around 20ish degrees at game time.

Knee-Jerk No Research Prediction: Green Bay 26, Los Angeles 16
Early Line No-Look Guess: Green Bay -7.5
Actual BetMGM Line: Green Bay -7, o/u: 46

NFL Playoff Divisional Round First Thought Predictions
– Baltimore at Buffalo
– Cleveland at Kansas City
– Tampa Bay at New Orleans

NEXT: Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills

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NFL Playoff First Thought Predictions, Lines, Bracket, Super Bowl Pick

The first predictions, early lines, and quick analysis on all of the 2021 NFL playoff games.

The first predictions, early lines, and quick analysis on all of the 2021 NFL playoff games.

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The NFL has made its way through, it expanded to include everyone who can throw a football and chew gum at the same time, and now comes the payoff with one-and-done games that ramp the intensity up a few levels.

Who’s going to win, how will the bracket go, and who’ll win the Super Bowl?

2021 NFL Playoffs Wild Card Round: Saturday

7 Indianapolis Colts at 2 Buffalo Bills

Saturday, January 9
CBS, 1:05 pm
Bills Stadium, Orchard Park, NY

Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: The Colt lines are just good enough be a bother throughout. The great offensive front should be able to pound through the Bill defensive front, and on the other side, now the pressure is on. Josh Allen and the Bills are supposed to win. They’re supposed to keep this fun going. And they will, but it’ll be a bit of a grind until the Colt offense stalls in the fourth quarter and Buffalo finally pulls away.

Knee-Jerk No Research Prediction: Buffalo 30, Indianapolis 20
Early Line No-Look Guess: Buffalo -6.5
Actual BetMGM Line: Buffalo -6.5, o/u: 52.5

6 Los Angeles Rams at 3 Seattle Seahawks

Saturday, January 9
FOX, 4:40 pm
Lumen Field, Seattle, WA

Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: Is Jared Goff able to go? How healthy is the rest of the Ram offense? It won’t matter – the defense will pick up the slack. This is a flaky LA team that could just as easily get blown out from jump as it could roll through with a stunning run. Seattle’s defense that’s had so many issues this year will get exposed further.

Knee-Jerk No Research Prediction: Los Angeles Rams 26, Seattle 23
Early Line No Look Guess: Seattle -4.5
Actual BetMGM Line: Seattle -4.5, o/u: 42

5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4 Washington Football Team

Saturday, January 9
NBC, 8:15 pm
FedEx Field, Landover, MD

Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: BE … CAREFUL. Everyone will mock, ridicule, and laugh at a 7-9 team being in the playoffs, but this defense is the real deal. Weather will matter a bit for the guys from Tampa, but the bigger problem will be Chase Young and a pass rush that will disrupt Tom Brady – the first time in weeks anyone will do that – and make this a fight. However, the Football Team offense will stall and make just enough mistakes to not pull this off, but the Buccaneers will get pushed.

Knee-Jerk No Research Prediction: Tampa Bay 23, Washington 16
Early Line No Look Guess: Tampa Bay -6.5
Actual BetMGM Line: Tampa Bay -7.5, o/u: 46.5

NFL Playoff First Thought Predictions
– Wild Card: Sunday
– Divisional Round: NFC
– Divisional Round: AFC
– Conference Championships, Super Bowl

NEXT: 2021 NFL Playoffs Wild Card Round: Sunday

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Miami Dolphins playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Miami Dolphins making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Miami Dolphins make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m. ET.

Will the Miami Dolphins make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +500 | No: -715

The Dolphins were the laughingstock of the NFL in the first few weeks of the 2019 season, not only losing, but getting blown out by giant margins. It prompted the books to set huge, double-digit lines, including one which saw Miami as an underdog as high as 22 points. Some books even offered a prop of “Will the Dolphins finish 0-16?”

However, as the season went along, the Dolphins started to pull themselves together a bit. They become more competitive, and eventually were able to tick off a few wins. They appeared to be headed for a winless season after an 0-7 start, but in the final nine games they actually had a winning record at 5-4, including one loss by just one point. That finish, along with a bevy of free agents and draft selections has the Miami fanbase thinking big heading into 2020. While the division rival New England Patriots are expected to be much weaker, the Buffalo Bills are the favorites in the AFC East. Miami still has a ways to go before taking that next step to the postseason, but it’s not as far as some think.

The pick here, however, is NO (-715), but there is no way to justify eating that kind of chalk. A $10 winning bet only returns a profit of $1.40.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

How many games will the Miami Dolphins win in 2020? Bands

BAND	ODDS
0-4 Wins	+300
5-8 Wins	-304
9-12 Wins	+800
13-16 Wins	+50000

The BetMGM book has the sweet spot for the Dolphins in the 5-8 WINS (-304), and rightly so. First off, that’s where they landed last season after their slow start. A jump into the 9-12 (+800) wins area seems unlikely given their schedule.

While the Patriots are expected to be a little worse during the post-Tom Brady era, a Week 1 road assignment in New England is a tough road to hoe for the Fins. A visit from the division favorite Bills will be a tall order for the home opener in Week 2, also. While a trip to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars in Week 3 looks like Miami’s best bet for a first win, it’s a quick turnaround with it being Thursday night, and that could be an unexpected challenge, albeit a short hop from Miami via the air. After that, it’s a pair of NFC West foes with the Seattle Seahawks visiting, and a trip to meet the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers. As you can see, the early schedule is daunting, and a bet of YES (+500): TEAM TO START 0-4 might be worth a small-unit wager.

There are some midseason opportunities for wins, but late-season home games vs. the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Patriots, as well as a total of four road games to either the Mountain or Pacific Time Zones will be rough. A January game in Buffalo looks unwinnable, too.

A $10 bet on 5-8 WINS (-304) fetches a profit of only $3.29.

How many games will the Miami Dolphins win in 2020? Exact number

The Dolphins have improved their overall personnel. They drafted the quarterback of the future in QB Tua Tagovailoa, and they have a capable veteran in QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to show him the ropes until he is ready. Miami also has plenty of skill position depth and some decent defensive pieces. However, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Dolphins win the same amount of games as they did in 2019, only because the schedule is so tough from top to bottom.

Target 5 WINS (+300) as the play on exact victories, as you can triple up on your initial investment, and maybe hedge with exactly 6 WINS (+265) in case they overachieve a little. Still, they won’t win many more than that.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Los Angeles Rams playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Los Angeles Rams making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Los Angeles Rams make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Thursday, June 4 at 2 p.m. ET.

Will the Los Angeles Rams make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +165 | No: -200

Let’s rip expectations and emotions out of projecting the 2020 Los Angeles Rams. They fell well short of their preseason hype in 2019, but they weren’t that bad. A 9-7 record, but in an insanely difficult NFC West. They went 10-5-1 against the spread (meaning they surpassed bookmakers’ expectations on a weekly basis given the situation), had a plus-0.6 yards per play differential and could’ve snuck into the playoffs had they not gone 1-2 in the final three weeks. So one could argue Yes (+165) for the Rams making the postseason being great value.

The biggest question for this Rams team is how can they regain offensive dominance while parting ways with RB Todd Gurley III? Gurley’s disappointing 2019 campaign, where he went from MVP-caliber production to a mediocre 857 rushing yard and 3.8 yards per carry, directly relates to the Rams missing the playoffs for the first time in head coach Sean McVay’s three-year tenure. McVay’s coaching results thus far are impressive but the reason why I’m staying away from this action is based on my take of QB Jared Goff.

In 2019, Goff was Pro Football Focus’ 20th-graded quarterback. He ranked 22nd in QB Rating and 28th in touchdown percentage. Outside of a couple of draft picks, the Rams didn’t go out of their way to get him much help and the Rams have the 28th toughest schedule in the NFL this season (according to SharpFootballAnalysis.com).

I think the jury is still out on Goff but because I believe in McVay’s abilities. The value on No (-200) is terrible given the Rams head coach. I’ll PASS on betting if the Rams make the playoffs in 2020.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

How many games will the Los Angeles Rams win in 2020? Bands

BAND	ODDS
0-4 Wins	+3000
5-8 Wins	-120
9-12 Wins	-105
13-16 Wins	+4000

Successful gamblers don’t like this angle very often but let’s side with the market and bet the 5-8 Wins Band (-120). The Rams aren’t chumps but their first three games of the season are among the league’s toughest and their division is the best in the NFL. Los Angeles will win games, just not that many.

For the 0-4 Wins Band ticket to cash, a combination of bad breaks and a cluster of injuries would have to befall the Rams. The 9-12 Wins band (-105) is pretty good value but Yes (+165) to make the playoffs is better and if we thought they’d win that much we’d take the bet in the section above. A 13-plus win season is the biggest long shot for a reason: It ain’t happening.

How many games will the Los Angeles Rams win in 2020? Exact number

It’s too hard to stick the landing on this wager so I’ll PASS ON EXACT NUMBER OF WINS. Some strategy that may be profitable would be betting money on exactly 5 wins (+1400), exactly 6 wins (+650) and exactly 7 wins (+375). If any of those tickets cash you’ve profited on the Exact Wins action.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Los Angeles Chargers playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Los Angeles Chargers making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Los Angeles Chargers make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Wednesday, June 3 at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Will the Los Angeles Chargers make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +180 | No: -223

The Chargers officially cut ties with longtime QB Philip Rivers this offseason, as he left via free agency to join the Indianapolis Colts. QB Tyrod Taylor will serve as the ‘bridge’ quarterback, holding down the fort until 2020 first-round draft pick QB Justin Herbert is ready to be trusted with the keys to the car in either 2020 or 2021. Taylor has been in this spot before.

The Chargers also bid farewell to RB Melvin Gordon, who signed a two-year deal in free agency with the division-rival Denver Broncos. So it’s a bit of a transition season for the Bolts, who will move into their new shared home with the Los Angeles Rams, SoFi Stadium.

The best bet here is NO (-223) where a $10 winning bet returns a profit of just $4.50.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

How many games will the Los Angeles Chargers win in 2020? Bands

BAND	ODDS
0-4 Wins	+1400
5-8 Wins	-209
9-12 Wins	+185
13-16 Wins	+10000

The BetMGM bookmakers expect this to be a losing season for the Chargers, as do most talking heads. There isn’t a lot of faith in Taylor turning this club into a winning team, and the schedule doesn’t set up very well for them, either.

We’ll learn a lot about the Chargers in Week 1 when they travel to meet the Cincinnati Bengals. It might be their most winnable road game on the entire schedule. A loss there would get them off on the wrong foot. They travel to the Eastern Time Zone for four of their eight road games this season, and of course, they will have to face the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs twice.

The Bolts will welcome the new-look New England Patriots to town, as well as traveling to battle the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 12 in their only scheduled Monday Night Football appearance. It’s an ugly schedule for a Chargers team likely to endure a second straight losing season.

The Chargers are worth a small-unit bet at 5-8 WINS (-209), although it will cost you. They’re not going to be a winning team, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see even fewer than five wins with this mishmash roster.

A $10 bet on 5-8 WINS fetches a profit of only $4.80.

How many games will the Los Angeles Chargers win in 2020? Exact number

It’s expected the Bolts will be swept by the Chiefs, while perhaps splitting with both the rival Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. Road trips to Cincinnati and Miami are very winnable, but outside of those games it’s unlikely the Chargers will return home with many road victories.

Looking at the home slate, a win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 is certainly very possible, and it might be their first in their new digs. Games at home against the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars shouldn’t be terribly daunting, either.

Target 6 WINS (+400) as the play on exact victories, and you can quadruple your investment if they’re to suffer double-digit losses yet again in 2020. UNDER 7.5 WINS (-115) is a very good bet, too.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Pittsburgh Steelers playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Pittsburgh Steelers making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, May 29 at 6;20 a.m. ET.

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: -115 | No: -105

The Steelers lost QB Ben Roethlisberger to a season-ending elbow injury in Week 2, and they just weren’t the same team. Coach Mike Tomlin got the most out of his replacements, challenging for a playoff spot late into the season, but the combination of QBs Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges just couldn’t get Pittsburgh quite over the hump. Heading into 2020, Big Ben is back, so will the Steelers be back in the postseason, too?

Tomlin always seems to get the most out of his teams, and tossing a future Hall of Fame signal caller back into the mix should help immensely. While it’s unlikely they have enough heat to overtake the rival Baltimore Ravens and MVP QB Lamar Jackson, the Steelers should be right there challenging for the division and a playoff spot.

The best bet is YES (-115), although a $10 winning bet returns a profit of $8.70.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

How many games will the Pittsburgh Steelers win in 2020? Bands

BAND	ODDS
0-4 Wins	+5000
5-8 Wins	+135
9-12 Wins	-167
13-16 Wins	+2000

The schedule is a little on the soft side, as they face just five playoff teams for a total of six games – they play the Ravens twice. That means 10 of their games are against teams that watched the playoffs on television last year. That’s what the Steelers were doing, too, but they’ll be much improved and should reach double-digit wins as long as Big Ben doesn’t have a recurrence of the elbow issue that forced him to the sidelines.

The Steelers are a good bet at 9-12 WINS (-167), as they’re expected to be a contender again after a lost 2019 season.

A $10 bet on 9-12 WINS returns a very nice profit of $5.99.

How many games will the Pittsburgh Steelers win in 2020? Exact number

As mentioned, the Steelers have 10 games against non-playoff teams from 2019. That will help them take a big leap in the standings, from outside the playoffs to a contender. They should get off to a quick start, as they face rather soft competition early on, and their toughest games in the first six weeks will happen at home on Heinz Field turf. They usually battle the Ravens tough, and could split with them, and they’re likely to be favored in both games against the Cincinnati Bengals, and perhaps both meetings with the Cleveland Browns. Four wins inside the division is a fair prediction.

Looking at the non-division schedule, they should be able to rack up wins at home against the Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins, and on the road at the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Giants. A win over the Indianapolis Colts late in the season is also a good bet, especially if fans are back in the stands, making it a true home-field advantage.

Target 10 WINS (+300), as you can triple up if they simply gain two wins in the standings from a year ago. With Big Ben back under center, that should be easily attainable. OVER 9 WINS (-115) is also worth a small-unit play.

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