Jason Bell casts his thoughts on the Championship weekend as the road to the Super Bowl intensifies...
What we learned from the Divisional Round
What you need in the playoffs is a mobile quarterback and Jayden Daniels proved that point.
He frustrated the Detroit Lions’ defense with his ability to move around the field and make plays. His movement skills were a big part of the Washington Commanders winning that game.
Money Line - Washington Commanders
Money Line - Kansas City Chiefs
We also saw how much of an impact turnovers have. Lamar Jackson turned the ball over too much which led to the Baltimore Ravens downfall; the same happened with the Lions.
It was almost a case of teams beating themselves. Lamar did show what he can do with that final drive which almost swung the game back in their favour, but ultimately it was just too little too late.
Commanders can cause another upset
Saquon Barkley will be the key to the Philadelphia Eagles winning this game. His big-time runs will be vital for their chances, especially in the second half.
Saquon has always turned up for his team in the big moments and they’ll need him to do it again here.
Then it comes down to whether they are able to stop Jayden Daniels. They have a defensive line that can get after him and that’s exactly what they need to do. They have to get him on the ground.
Dan Quinn’s responsibility is getting the Commanders’ defense ready to stop Saquon Barkley.
Then it’ll be down to Jayden Daniels being efficient with his quick passing game. He’s been making big plays in the fourth quarter and that’s where the Eagles’ defense will have to step up.
Both these teams like going for it on fourth down, so it could come down to which defense is able to make a big stop on one of those fourth downs.
I have to be honest, I’m rolling with the underdogs here. I’m going with the Commanders. I don’t know why or how they’re going to find a way, but I think they’ll do it.
They’re on a seven-game winning streak, Jayden Daniels is playing well, it just all feels like it’s coming together.
Prediction: Washington Commanders to win
Chiefs to make the Bills pay once again
The Kansas City Chiefs up against the Buffalo Bills is a game we’ve become used to seeing at this stage of the season and they’re back to fight it out again this year.
Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen will no doubt be the stars of the show and it’ll be down to both defenses to try and stop them.
The Bills offense, specifically Josh Allen, will need to hold up against the blitz defense that the Chiefs bring to the table.
They’re going to come after Josh Allen so he’ll have to try and break off and make a play. He’s going to have to make a superman play in a big moment to overcome this Chiefs defense.
Whether it’s the second or third down, Steve Spagnuolo is going to dial up the pressure and call a big negative play. Then it’’ be on the Bills to either try and expose it or avoid it.
When it comes to the Chiefs’ offense, Mahomes will have to bring a quick passing game. The Bills defense have a great understating of route concepts and they’ll have to try and put a stop to that.
We saw in the Divisional Round that you can’t just sit back and let Travis Kelce operate, because he’ll hurt you.
They’ll have to consider when to double up on him and when not to. That wasn’t really a dilemma when he seemed to be losing his lustre, but it’s a big factor now.
It comes down to how both of these defenses are designed to take something away from the opposition quarterbacks.
The way I see it, I can’t go against the Chiefs. I cannot go against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. The Bills have advantages in all kinds of places, but I can’t go against the Chiefs.
Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs to win
NFL Tips & Predictions
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Once again, the Kansas City Chiefs top Super Bowl odds and Patrick Mahomes will be hoping to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the end of last season.
While the Chiefs are deserving of their status as NFL season preview favourites, there are plenty of teams who will fancy their chances at a deep postseason run.
Look out for the Eagles, Bills, Bengals, Niners and others in the opening weeks as they look to prove they can topple the dynastic Chiefs.
Elsewhere, Mahomes is again a popular NFL betting UK pick for MVP. Other contenders include Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow.
Our team will keep an eye on NFL awards betting throughout the season, where odds movement can unlock value.
NFL Predictions Each Week
Running through from Week 1 to the NFL London games and the final hunt for Playoff positioning around Christmas and New Year, 888Sport’s established group of NFL tipsters will be updating this page with weekly tips.
Once the regular year is wrapped up, attention will turn to what should be a fascinating Playoffs. You can follow the latest NFL news from former star cornerback Jason Bell via his exclusive 888sport blog each week.
Expertise is paired with extensive NFL statistics research as we land on our free NFL tips.
Head-to-head records, injury updates and analytics are all considered by our writers before they commit to the wager which you will see on this page.
This is a must visit page for anyone looking to wager on NFL games during the 2024-25 season – bets are available every week of the season, and 888Sport has an exceptional range of markets to enjoy.
*Credit for all photos in this article belongs to Adobe*
