NFL Prop Bet Payday: Championship Game Edition

Previewing Sunday’s NFL conference championship games between the Titans and Chiefs and the Packers and 49ers with NFL betting odds, picks and best bets

The Super Bowl dreams are still alive for four teams, and those four teams have one thing in common: the last time they stood this close to the Super Bowl, most players taking the field this weekend weren’t yet in the league — and in some cases, even alive. San Francisco’s last Super Bowl was in 2013. Green Bay’s was 2011. Tennessee’s was 2000. Kansas City’s was 1970 before the AFL and NFL merged.

Two of those franchises will end their drought. Our championship week prop bets look at a key player from each team and breaks down how each can make you a winner.


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Bo Knows Derrick

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has been close to unstoppable this postseason. (Photo credit: Jim Brown – USA TODAY Sports)

The number keeps getting higher on Derrick Henry’s rushing yards — currently at 106.5 with -112 on both the over and the under — and for good reason. He has rushed for 149 or more yards in six of his last eight games, including games of 211, 182 and 195 in his last three and 188 when he played Kansas City in November. In that game, even if you took out his 68-yard touchdown run, he still ran 22 times for 120 yards. The Titans have fed him the ball 30 or more times in each of the last three games against defenses viewed as being better than that of the Chiefs. Barring a 20-point deficit in the first half, he will keep getting the rock. TAKE THE OVER.

The Road Less Travis-ed

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had 3 touchdowns in a quarter last weekend. What will he do come Sunday? (Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilas – USA TODAY Sports)

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is being given a pretty representative over/under number to get action on both sides at 78.5 yards (-112 on both the over and under). Since quarterback Patrick Mahomes returned from injury, Kelce has caught seven or more passes in six of eight games, including catching seven passes for 75 yards against the Titans in Week 10. Tennessee is likely going to double Tyreek Hill more often than not in an effort to prevent the huge play over the top. Enter Kelce and death by paper cut. By the time the Texans doubled Kelce in the second half of their game last week, it was too late. He caught 10 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns. He likely won’t hit that number, but eight catches for 80+ yards isn’t out of the question. TAKE THE OVER.

The Adams Family

Aaron Rodgers (12) and Davante Adams are one football’s scariest hookups. (Photo credit: Jeff Hanisch – USA TODAY Sports)

The Packers don’t hide the fact that Davante Adams is the main man in their pass offense — and whoever the No. 2 guy happens to be that week isn’t even close. He has a big over/under receiving yardage number of 84.5 (-112 on both), but there are two factors that come into play. Green Bay needed to win each of their last four games to hold their spot as the No. 2 seed in the NFC. In those games, Adams had yardage totals of 103, 116, 93 and 160. The case against Adams is that Richard Sherman will likely be chasing him around wherever he lines up come this Sunday. But if the 49ers open up a big lead (they’re favored by 7.5 points) Rodgers will have nothing to lose to keep throwing. Even if it covers in garbage time, that’s fine. TAKE THE OVER.

The World According to Jim

Considering the stakes, his opponent and a strong rushing attack behind him, will 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo be asked to do less Sunday? (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)

The over/under on passing yards for Jimmy Garoppolo is 248.5 (-112 on both). It’s a solid number because he has exceeded that number in five of his last 10 games — and finished with 248 in two others. But two things play in against him hitting the over. Green Bay’s pass rush won’t let him have all day to throw. They will dial up the heat and get the ball out of his hands. More importantly, the closer teams get to the Super Bowl, the more conservative most of them get. Last week, the three-headed 49ers backfield combined to rush 42 times. If they get a big lead, which many in Vegas are projecting, they will take the air out of the ball to shorten the game and pound the rock until Green Bay stops it. TAKE THE UNDER.

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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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Why you should bet on San Francisco 49ers to win NFC Championship

Previewing the Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers NFC Championship Game, with NFL betting odds, picks, futures and best bets.

After dominating the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional round of the playoffs last Saturday, the San Francisco 49ers (14-3) sit one win away from the Super Bowl. The only team standing in their way? The Aaron Rodgers-led Green Bay Packers (14-3).

While both teams finished the regular season 13-3, the 49ers were the far better team. Their point differential of 169 was not only best in the NFC but was 106 points better than that of the Packers. San Francisco finished the regular season with the No. 2 scoring offense and No. 2 defense in yards allowed.


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And when these teams met in the regular season, the 49ers absolutely crushed the Packers, beating them 37-8. Green Bay was held to 198 total yards with Rodgers throwing for only 104 yards with a paltry 3.15 yards per attempt – the lowest of his career in a game he started.

All of this adds up to the 49ers being 7.5-point favorites over the Packers on Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium, with a moneyline of -358. But should you bet on them to win the game?

In short: YES.

Can the good fortune last?

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. (Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch – USA TODAY Sports)

The Packers have overachieved to make it this far and weren’t as good as their record during the regular season. They were 18th in total offense and 18th in total defense in 2019, ranking outside the top 10 in passing and rushing, as well. Their saving grace was turnovers – tying for seventh in the NFL with 25 takeaways and finishing second with 13 giveaways. The plus-12 turnover differential was tied for third in the league.

Green Bay scored fewer than 24 points in nine games this season with eight of their wins coming by only one possession. The 49ers, who were said to have played in a lot of close games, actually won only five games by one possession and scored at least 24 points in all but four games this year – including their 27-10 win over Minnesota last weekend.

Strength vs. strength

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa. (Photo credit: Stan Szeto – USA TODAY Sports)

This game will come down to two key factors: Can the 49ers get pressure on Rodgers, and can the Packers slow down San Francisco’s rushing attack? The 49ers finished fifth in the NFL with 48 sacks this season – and they were well distributed. Arik Armstead had 10, Nick Bosa had nine, DeForest Buckner posted 7.5 and Dee Ford had 6.5 in only 11 games.

Blocking a defensive line with that sort of production spread across the front is a huge challenge, because it’s not as if the Packers can focus all of their attention on one guy. David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga are outstanding tackles, and Elgton Jenkins has been great at guard, but the Packers’ offensive line struggled to protect Rodgers the last time these teams met, allowing five sacks.

As for stopping the 49ers’ ground game, the Packers did a great job of that in Week 12. They held San Francisco to only 112 yards rushing in that one, with no player gaining more than 45 yards by himself. On the flip side, Green Bay still lost 37-8 – and that was with 49ers running back Matt Breida out with injury.

This is a game the 49ers should (and will) win.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @camdasilva and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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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