2016 NFL Divisional Playoff Betting Tips

The 2015-16 NFL season has reached the divisional playoffs with teams just two wins away from making an appearance at Superbowl 50! All the away teams won over the wildcard period but we don’t see that repeating this weekend. Find our 2015-16 NFL Divisional Playoff Betting Tips below.

Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots (Sunday 8.35am AEDT)

The Chiefs were able to get a huge victory against the Houston Texans and their defence. However, we shouldn’t get too excited as the team really should have scored more than 30 points considering the match started with a kick off return and their was also five takeaways against the Texans offence. Their defence was tremendous but on the offensive end they weren’t able to convert and at half time the Texans were still in the match despite all the opportunities they had given to the Chiefs. In the playoffs you need to be brutal and show no mercy and if Tom Brady and the Patriots won’t turn the ball over nearly as many times.

The Patriots have had a week of resting and their pass rush will be fresh and ready to make an impact against the Offensive line of the Chiefs that has been less than ordinary this season. The Patriots defensive line is ranked second in the NFL for sacks and they will make their presence felt in this match. If the Chiefs fall behind and are forced to pass the ball then this will come into the equation and quarterback Alex Smith will be put under a lot of pressure to make plays. The Patriots and Tom Brady will show their superiority in this one and move to the Conference final.

TIP: Patriots -5 @ $1.99 with Sportsbet

Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals (Sunday 12.15pm AEDT)

The key to this match will be the running game for the Packers. If they aren’t able to run the ball efficiently from the start of this match it could slip away from them early as they need to be able to put the Cardinals defence worried about the run and the pass otherwise quarterback Aaron Rodgers could feel the same pressure he did a month ago when he was sacked 8 times and hit a lot more by the Cardinals pass rush.

Similar to the Packers the key to success for the Cardinals will be to get David Johnson going and involved in the match. The back has averaged 131.6 yards from scrimmage as a starter, which is incredible considering it, is his first season in the league. He has 13 touchdowns this season and not only does he run the ball but Carson Palmer looks to him as an option in the red zone when passing the ball.

Although the Packers were able to win last week, it took them a while to get into the game and a lot of their big possessions came off Aaron Rodgers scrambling out of the pocket. They are up against a much stronger defence this week and he won’t be able to have the same efficiency as he did last week. The Cardinals will win by double figures.

TIP: Cardinals -7 @ $1.95 with WilliamHill

Seattle Seahawks vs Carolina Panthers (Monday 5.05am AEDT)

This has the potential to be the most interesting match of the round and arguably the closest. Cam Newton started his MVP race by leading his side to a comeback victory against the Seahawks earlier this season in Seattle. In that match the difference was Newton and his combination with tight end Greg Olsen. They will need to link up this weekend to earn themselves the victory whilst their defence will need to stop Russel Wilson from making big plays. Last week the Seahawks looked dead in the water until Wilson was able to pick up the loose ball before making a pass that not many other quarterbacks in the league could make and this lead to their opening touchdown of the match.

The Seahawks defence was able to stop the Vikings from getting a touchdown in the match but it did allow for Teddy Bridgewater and Adrian Peterson to make what looked like a game winning drive however unfortunately for the Vikings a missed field goal from just 27 yards out would ultimately cost them the match.

The return of running back Johnathan Stewart is a huge boost for the Panthers and it will not only improve their running game but it will allow for the play action pass to come into play for the side. However, this match could come down to the involvement of wide receiver Todd Ginn – he has a career high in touchdown receptions this season and he constantly finds space down the field with his pace. If he is able to make an impact in this match it will open up the areas for the other players on offence and give Cam Newton plenty of options. We are sticking with the side that has only lost one match all season and with the eventual MVP of the 2015-16 season.

TIP: Panthers -1.5 @ $1.99 with Palmerbet

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos (Monday 8.40am AEDT)

The final match of the round could be the last match legend Peyton Manning plays in the NFL. However, we don’t see it ending that way. The Steelers were lucky to escape last week with a few calls going their way late in the match. They head into this match up bruised and battered and they could possibly be without three key offensive weapons. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger injured his AC joint in his right shoulder – his throwing arm which could see him miss the match or at least be hindered when he takes the field. Running back DeAngelo Williams missed the match against the Bengals and is still questionable heading into this week and arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL Antonio Brown is recovering from a concussion he suffered in the final seconds in their victory against the Bengals. If any of these three players are out the match will swing heavily in the favour of the Broncos however I expect them all to take the field on Monday morning.

Manning will get his first start in nine weeks as he returns from injury. He came off the bench to lead the Broncos to victory over the Chargers in the fourth quarter, which secured their position as the number one seed. He will need to get the running game going with the offence whilst also taking care of the football. If they are able to do that then the Broncos will be moving forward and just one game away from sending Manning to the Superbowl that he desires.

TIP: Broncos -7 @ $2.00 with Crownbet

Take note: The tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly.