We’ve made it to the NFL Conference Round and we’ve got some incredible games lined up. On one side, we’ve got the Cincinnati Bengals at the Kansas City Chiefs. Two high-powered AFC offenses that have been lighting up the NFL stats. Can Patrick Mahomes pull off a win at home and claim another AFC Title? Or will Joe Burrow rise up and take the AFC for himself?
On the opposite side, the San Francisco 49ers take on the Los Angeles Rams. It’s not often that two teams from the same division face off in the NFC Title game. However, this weekend is exactly that as these two NFC West teams face off. The Los Angeles Rams have one of the best defenses in the league. Can they stop Jimmy G. and the 49ers’ fast-paced offense?
Game Preview: Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs
The storyline in this game is Joe Burrow versus Patrick Mahomes. Both of these offenses rank in the top ten of scoring in the NFL. Cincinnati ranks No.10 in points per game, putting up 25.25 points per game. They also have an impressive record against the spread when playing the Chiefs, 6-4. Over their last ten meetings, the Bengals have beaten the Chiefs seven times.
We know that most believe the Kansas City Chiefs will win this game. However, we don’t feel like it’s as simple as it seems. Kansas City is a great team, but they have one of the worst defenses in the NFL. On average, the Chiefs allow 251.95 passing yards per game, ranking 27th in the NFL. The way we see it, Joe Burrow is going to have fun picking apart that defense.
Game Preview: San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
The next game for the weekend is the San Francisco 49ers at the Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers got the better of the Rams during the regular season. However, the Rams have been legendary during the post-season. They easily walked over the Arizona Cardinals, beating Kyler Murray and Arizona 34-11. They also took out Tom Brady and the Buccaneers last weekend.
With that being said, we don’t think the 49ers’ lackluster offense will do much against the Rams. Los Angeles has the No.4 defense in the NFL, allowing only 19.52 points per game. Matthew Stafford has a ton of weapons to choose from as well. If the Rams can put some pressure on Jimmy Garoppolo, they’ll walk away with this one. Now, let’s talk about the spreads here.
Betting Lines and Trends for Both NFL Conference Games
The Bengals come in as seven-point underdogs on Sunday against the Chiefs. The total for the game is set at 54.5, which is quite high, even though both teams are high scorers. The consensus has the Kansas City Chiefs winning and covering the spread. However, we encourage you to take into account that the Bengals are 7-3 in their last ten against the Chiefs.
The Los Angeles Rams come in as only 3.5-point favorites in their game against San Francisco. Now, this isn’t too surprising since they have a history of losing to the 49ers. Something to remember though is that the Rams are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games. The total for this game is set at 46 and the Rams come in at -180 on the Moneyline. Now, let’s make our picks.
Our Picks for the NFL Conference Games
The AFC Championship is guaranteed to be an entertaining game. The Cincinnati Bengals are one of the best offenses in the NFL and they’ll prove it on Sunday. The Chiefs’ secondary has proven multiple times that it struggles in the playoffs. We think the Bengals will at least be able to cover the spread here. They might not win, but they’ll keep it within seven points.
In the NFC Championship, we’ve got to go with the home team. The Los Angeles Rams have a ton of weapons on offense and defense to back them up. Although they were swept by the 49ers during the regular season, we think the Rams win the one that matters. Take the Rams to cover the 3.5-point spread and the total to go over.
