The Pittsburgh Steelers did not reach this point, while the Cleveland Browns made a brave attempt but ultimately fell short.
Even though their favorite teams may not be part of it, online sports bettors from West Virginia eagerly engage in an exceptional NFL conference championship round.
What to watch on Sunday
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Green Bay Packers at 1:05 p.m. EST, broadcasted on Fox.
- The Buffalo Bills visit the Kansas City Chiefs, with the game scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EST on CBS.
By defeating the Packers, Tampa Bay could make history by becoming the first team to play the Super Bowl on its own home field. The victorious teams from Sunday’s games will advance to Super Bowl 55, which will take place in Tampa on February 7th.
The intriguing betting atmosphere is evident on the watch-and-wait boards of popular sportsbooks such as DraftKings WV Sportsbook, FanDuel, and BetMGM West Virginia Sportsbook. Both games have odds close to a field goal, offering different perspectives for bettors to consider.
The current postseason features an exceptionally skilled set of four teams, possibly the most talented in several years. Excluding Kansas City’s decision to rest their starters in a Week 17 defeat, the playoff teams have achieved an impressive streak of 32 consecutive victories. This remarkable feat makes it difficult to distinguish between them. Now, let’s examine each matchup.
Green Bay Packers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When the line reaches -3, Green Bay has been proactive in responding. Occasionally, the line will go up to -3.5, which presents an opportunity for Tampa Bay bettors to take advantage. For gamblers, it will be crucial to engage in line shopping and value hunting.
Regardless of the outcome, sportsbook operators will all be cheering for Green Bay as they consider the Buccaneers to be their biggest Super Bowl risk. Following the news of Tom Brady’s departure from New England to join Tampa Bay, these operators accepted bets ranging from 50-1 to 14-1.
A month ago, it seemed unlikely that the books would have to pay that amount, but Tampa Bay has now become incredibly successful.
For the conference championship in Green Bay, the weather forecast predicts cold temperatures but not excessively harsh conditions. Expect the high to be in the 20s with occasional snow showers and a gentle wind speed of approximately 6 mph.
The old guard is facing off as veteran quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady go head-to-head.
Rodgers had an exceptional season, throwing an astounding 48 touchdowns while only throwing five interceptions.
In addition, he executed three remarkable plays that proved to be the deciding factor in Green Bay’s 32-18 victory against the Los Angeles Rams in the division-round.
On a third-down play, Rodgers delivered a swift pass to Davante Adams in the end zone, covering a mere yard. This play proved to be significantly more valuable, adding four points to Green Bay’s score compared to settling for a field goal. Additionally, it brought seven extra points had the Packers missed the opportunity and failed to convert on fourth down.
Rodgers executed a remarkable acrobatic fake, causing a defender to leap into the air before swiftly advancing. Without successfully executing that move, it would have resulted in another field goal.
In the late stages of the first half, despite being tightly marked by defenders, he successfully executed a 33-yard pass completion. Consequently, this play set the stage for a field goal on the last play before the half-time break.
The Packers’ victory margin was 14 points, and Rodgers significantly contributed with a minimum of 11 points during the first half, potentially even more.
Will Tampa Bay be able to replicate its success from their win against the New Orleans Saints in the previous week? During that game, Tampa Bay managed to secure four takeaways, resulting in all three of their touchdowns and ultimately securing a 30-20 victory.
Brady’s performance has been remarkable, with his offensive line providing solid blocking and him reaching his peak form of the past five years. Brady’s exceptional performance has ignited the team, resulting in the Buccaneers achieving six consecutive victories, including their last two away games.
The Buccaneers display their fearlessness by taking risks. Despite being down 6-0 in the early stages of the game against the Saints, Tampa Bay decided to go for it on fourth down from their own 29-yard line. Their aim was to shift the momentum that New Orleans had controlled throughout the game. Surprisingly, this bold move paid off as Brady successfully executed a sneak play, securing a first down. Ultimately, this decision proved advantageous for Tampa Bay as they took the lead in the fourth quarter and maintained it until the end.
The victory holds intrigue as it marks a rematch, or rather a double rematch for Tampa Bay. Having been defeated twice by the Saints during the regular season, the Buccaneers sought their retribution in this particular game.
Green Bay is seeking retaliation as well, aiming to avenge their previous 38-10 defeat against the Bucs earlier this season. However, it’s worth noting that the previous game took place in Tampa Bay, whereas this upcoming match will be held in Green Bay, where Rodgers consistently demonstrates his formidable performance.
Prop betting targets
It is an obvious choice to consider Rodgers and Brady for their passing yardage, as well as Davante Adams as a reliable scorer for Green Bay. As for the Buccaneers, bettors have a variety of options to choose from including Rob Gronkowski, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, and more.
Adams is listed at +490 as the first TD scorer on BetMGM, while Evans has odds of +1000.
Make sure to look out for odds boosts as the kickoff time approaches. The custom bet available during the week offers great payouts, but it requires three players to achieve a specific goal. It’s already challenging enough to predict the outcome for just one player.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills
Bettors are showing mild interest in this line, maintaining cautious optimism, while eagerly awaiting confirmation regarding Patrick Mahomes.
In order to play on Sunday, the Chiefs quarterback, who was concussed after being knocked out during Kansas City’s 22-17 victory over the Browns, needs to pass the NFL protocols.
Up until now, everything is going well; he has successfully overcome the major obstacles. However, his complete assurance won’t be confirmed until Sunday.
According to Johnny Avello, the head of race and sportsbook operations at DraftKings, there is a possibility that Kansas City may have a four-point advantage if Mahomes participates in the game. However, if Mahomes decides not to play, Buffalo would probably be favored by four points.
The eight-point swing is significant, explaining why bettors are not fully committed. However, the line did increase slightly from Kansas City -2.5 to -3 on Tuesday. If bettors choose the Chiefs at -2.5 and Mahomes plays resulting in the line moving to -4, KC supporters gain an additional 1.5 points. This advantage is valuable.
What is the size of Mahomes? During the first half of the Chiefs’ 22-17 victory against the Browns, the team had possession of the ball four times, scored four times, and accumulated close to 300 yards.
The Chiefs managed to score only one field goal in a quarter and a half, and they were quite fortunate to avoid giving the ball back to Cleveland in the closing minutes, especially with Mahomes absent.
Prop betting targets
Stefon Diggs is greatly favored by Buffalo when it comes to passing. Last week, he proved his worth by scoring the first touchdown in Buffalo’s victory against the Baltimore Ravens, earning an impressive average of 11-1 at the books. Moreover, quarterback Josh Allen adds to the team’s offensive prowess with his ability to run the ball effectively.
In Kansas City, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill pose as notable scoring threats. While Mahomes occasionally sets the field ablaze with touchdown passes, he also surprises with his ability to run one in, as he demonstrated last week.
In addition, this game serves as a rematch as Kansas City emerged victorious with a score of 26-17 over Buffalo back in October.
A nostalgic twist
Should the Chiefs and Packers emerge victorious, they will find themselves on a collision course for a rematch of the inaugural Super Bowl held in Los Angeles back in 1967.
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