NFL Championship Weekend Lines
A wild Divisional Round weeded out the weak and showcased the NFL’s finest, giving bettors two intriguing matchups for the conference championships this Sunday.
The NFC Championship Game is an NFC North grudge match, with the Green Bay Packers heading to Soldier Field to face the rival Chicago Bears. Oddsmakers sent out Packers -3 after Green Bay’s dominating road win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. That line has been bet up from the key number to -3.5 with early action on the road team.
The Bears and Packers split their two meetings this season, with Chicago covering as an underdog in both contests. They met in Week 3, with the Bears taking a 20-17 victory as 3-point home underdogs. Kicker Robbie Gould booted a 19-yard field goal with four seconds remaining in the game to give Chicago the SU and ATS win.
The teams’ most recent meeting won’t hold much weight with bettors. Green Bay defeated the Bears 10-3 in the final game of the regular season. However, Chicago had already clinched a playoff spot and was resting some of its starters. The Packers needed the win to get into the postseason but couldn’t manage to cover the 11-point spread in Week 17.
The total for the NFC Championship Game is set at 43.5 points – the same number as their last meeting in the regular season finale. Over their last 10 encounters, the average total between Chicago and Green Bay is 40.5. The over/under is 2-8 in that span, with the last six games finishing below the number.
In the AFC Championship Game, the Pittsburgh Steelers host the New York Jets at Heinz Field on Sunday. Oddsmakers originally posted the Steelers as 3-point home faves, but that spread has since moved to -3.5 at most markets with early money expecting a letdown from the Jets after their emotional win over the New England Patriots last Sunday.
New York owns a win over Pittsburgh this season, taking a 22-17 victory as a 3.5-point road underdog back in Week 15. Special teams stud Brad Smith opened that game with a 97-yard touchdown return for the Jets, who shut down the Steelers in the fourth quarter. New York sealed the win with a safety from Jason Taylor, who pinned Mewelde Moore in the end zone for two points in the closing minutes of the game.
The total for Sunday’s AFC Championship Game opened as low as 38 but has since been bet up to as high as 39 points. These teams have had an average total of just under 37 points over their past 10 meetings, which have produced a 2-8 over/under count. However, those two over finishes have come in their last three head-to-head contests, including Week 15.