Tommy Dutch
“Expect the unexpected” is the early theme to the NFL postseason. Wild Card Weekend gave us the meltdown in Cincinnati and the shank in Minnesota.
The Steelers/Bengals game featured several brawls and had an uncomfortable feel, overall. It concluded with back-to-back personal fouls which allowed the Steelers to win the game on a last second chip-shot field goal. Meanwhile, the Vikings had their way with the Seahawks most of the day until Russell Wilson led an exciting fourth-quarter comeback. In the end, Minnesota still had an opportunity to win, but saw its own last-second chip-shot field goal sail wide left.
The drama and excitement leaves us wondering what can possibly happen next?
All four favorites (Green Bay closed -1) found a way to survive and advance through the madness of last week. This sets up a competitive divisional round featuring the best eight teams in football. There is no clear Super Bowl favorite and all of this week’s point spreads are a touchdown or less. This is a wide open field and anything can happen next.
The odds for each match-up are below but these wacky playoffs deserve more than just the usual lines. Let’s take a look at the likelihood of the unlikely continuing. Will there be another last-second field goal shank? Will Peyton Manning get benched? Will someone streak the field? It’s all covered, plus an updated glance at the coaching carousel!
NFL Divisional Playoff Odds:
Odds of winning in the Divisional Playoffs:
- Kansas City (+5): 2/1
New England: 11/25 - Green Bay (+7): 5/2
Arizona: 17/50 - Seattle (+2.5): 23/20
Carolina: 77/100 - Pittsburgh (+6.5): 23/10
Denver: 37/100
Or, in descending order:
- Arizona: 17/50
- Denver: 37/100
- New England: 11/25
- Carolina: 77/100
- Seattle: 23/20
- Kansas City: 2/1
- Green Bay: 5/2
Odds a game is decided on a last-second field goal: 3/2
If there is a last-second, game-deciding field goal attempt, odds that it is …
- made: 1/2
- missed: 2/1
Odds a game goes to overtime: 4/1
Odds a game is played in the snow:
- Pittsburgh at Denver: 7/1
- Kansas City at New England: 8/1 (Rain: 3/2)
- Seattle at Carolina: 100/1
Odds that Peyton Manning …
- plays the full game: 1/2
- gets pulled for poor performance: 3/1
- exits due to injury: 10/1
Odds a Steelers coach gets a penalty for going on the field: 25/1
Odds a game erupts into a brawl:
- Seattle/Carolina: 10/1
- Pittsburgh/Denver: 12/1
- Kansas City/New England: 15/1
- Green Bay/Arizona: 18/1
Odds a fan streaks the field during a game:
- Kansas City/New England: 40/1
- Pittsburgh/Denver: 50/1
- Seattle/Carolina: 80/1
- Green Bay/Arizona: 100/1
Odds to be the next team to fire its coach:
- Detroit Lions (Jim Caldwell): 3/7
- Cincinnati Bengals (Marvin Lewis): 4/1
- Jacksonville Jaguars (Gus Bradley): 19/1
- San Diego Chargers (Mike McCoy): 30/1
- Dallas Cowboys (Jason Garrett): 50/1
Odds to be the next team to hire its coach:
- Philadelphia Eagles: 3/2
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7/3
- Tennessee Titans: 20/1
(Photo credit: By Mike Morbeck [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo has been cropped.)
