Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
Road teams were quite successful during the six-game Wild-Card Weekend in these NFL playoffs. Will that continue with the Divisional Round games?
Today, we will look at Saturday’s schedule that opens with the Los Angeles Rams visiting the Green Bay Packers, who are 7-point favorites. These teams didn’t play this season, but the favorite has won the past 12 in the series. They last met in Week 8 of the 2018 season – the year the Rams reached the Super Bowl – and Los Angeles was a 29-27 home winner. Greg Zuerlein hit the go-ahead field goal with 2:05 left; he’s no longer with the Rams. Jared Goff threw for 295 yards and three scores, while Aaron Rodgers threw for 286 and a score.
Who will be under center Saturday for Los Angeles? Goff is the unquestioned starter under usual circumstances but missed Week 17 following thumb surgery and didn’t start the Wild-Card Game last Saturday in Seattle. He was forced into action, though, because of an injury to John Wolford. Goff clearly wasn’t 100 percent but made enough throws to lead Los Angeles to a 30-20 upset. The defense and rookie running back Cam Akers did most of the heavy lifting.
Rams coach Sean McVay said it may take until late this week for him to pick between Goff and Wolford starting this game. The Rams also have injury concerns with No. 1 wideout Cooper Kupp and superstar defensive tackle Aaron Donald, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The Rams are 7-2 ATS in their past nine as road underdogs. Green Bay is about as healthy as possible coming off the bye week. The Packers will host the NFC title game against either Tampa Bay or New Orleans with a victory.
The primetime game Saturday is the Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills, with the Bills as 2.5-point favorites. The home team is 7-2 ATS in the past nine in that series. They played in Week 14 of the 2019 season in Buffalo and the Ravens won 24-17 behind three TD passes from Lamar Jackson.
Combined, these clubs have won a combined 13 straight games. Buffalo won its seventh in a row last Saturday, 27-24 over Indianapolis for the franchise’s first postseason victory in 25 years. Josh Allen threw for two scores and rushed for one.
Baltimore won its sixth in a row Sunday, 20-13 at Tennessee. The Ravens rushed for 236 yards, including 136 yards and a touchdown on just 16 carries for Jackson. Baltimore has covered seven straight overall.
