NFL Betting Predictions for the 2018 Postseason

With just three weeks of action remaining in the regular season and the playoff picture in both conferences getting clearer in both conferences, now is a great time for some expert NFL postseason betting predictions that will both, entertain – and inform you of what could take place in both conferences this coming postseason.

Okay, with that said, let’s get started with a look at how the playoffs would look if the season ended today, just prior to week 15 and following the Chargers’ thrilling 29-28 win over Kansas City on Thursday night.

NFL Betting Predictions for the 2018 Postseason

AFC First Round Bye

No.1 Kansas City (11-3)
No. 2 New England (9-4)

AFC Wild Card

No. 6 Baltimore (7-6) at No. 3 Houston (9-4)
No. 5 LA Chargers (11-3) at No. 4 Pittsburgh (7-5-1)

NFC First Round Bye

No. 1 New Orleans (11-2)
No. 2 LA Rams (11-2)

NFC Wild Card

No. 6 Minnesota (6-6-1) at No. 3 Chicago (9-4)
No. 5 Seattle (8-5) at No. 4 Dallas (8-5)

Okay, here is a look at the current NFL standings of teams that still have the best shot at the playoffs in both conferences.

AFC Standings

Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)
LA Chargers (11-3)
New England Patriots (9-4)
Houston Texans (9-4)
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5-1)
Baltimore Ravens (7-6)
Indianapolis Colts (7-6)
Miami Dolphins (7-6)
Tennessee Titans (7-6)
Denver Broncos (6-7)

NFC Standings

New Orleans (11-2)
LA Rams (11-2)
Chicago Bears (9-4)
Dallas Cowboys (8-5)
Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
Minnesota Vikings (6-6-1)
Carolina Panthers (6-7)
Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
Washington Redskins (6-7)

Now, here is a look at all of the playoff scenarios surrounding week 15.

AFC Scenarios

New England Patriots

New England can clinch the AFC East division title with:

NE win + MIA loss or tie OR
NE tie + MIA loss

New England can clinch a playoff berth with:

NE win + TEN loss or tie OR
NE tie + BAL loss + TEN loss + IND loss or tie

Houston Texans

Houston can clinch the AFC South division title with:

HOU win + IND loss or tie + TEN loss or tie OR
HOU tie + IND loss + TEN loss

Houston can clinch a playoff berth with:

HOU win + MIA loss or tie + PIT loss OR
HOU win + MIA loss or tie + BAL loss or tie OR
HOU tie + IND loss or tie + BAL loss + MIA loss OR
HOU tie + IND loss or tie + PIT loss + BAL loss + MIA tie OR
HOU tie + IND loss or tie + PIT loss + BAL win + MIA loss OR
HOU tie + TEN loss or tie + BAL loss + MIA loss OR
HOU tie + TEN loss or tie + PIT loss + BAL loss + MIA tie OR
HOU tie + TEN loss or tie + PIT loss + BAL win + MIA loss

NFC Scenarios

New Orleans Saints

New Orleans can clinch a first-round bye with:

NO win + CHI loss or tie OR
NO tie + CHI loss

Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles can clinch a first-round bye with:

LAR win + CHI loss or tie OR
LAR tie + CHI loss

Chicago Bears

Chicago can clinch the NFC North division title with:

CHI win OR
MIN loss OR
CHI tie + MIN tie

Chicago can clinch a playoff berth with:

CHI tie OR
WAS loss or tie

Dallas Cowboys

Dallas can clinch the NFC East division title with:

DAL win OR
DAL tie + PHI loss or tie + WAS loss or tie OR
PHI loss + WAS loss

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle can clinch a playoff berth with:

SEA win OR
SEA tie + MIN loss + CAR loss or tie OR
SEA tie + MIN loss + PHI loss or tie + WAS loss or tie OR
SEA tie + CAR loss or tie + PHI loss or tie + WAS loss or tie

My 2018 NFL Postseason Predictions

First of all, I’m thinking it’s quite possible that Indianapolis could get into the playoffs and that Baltimore could win the AFC North, seeing as how I expect Pittsburgh to drop two of their last three games.

Outside of that, I’m going to predict a final four of Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC and New Orleans and the L.A. Rams in the NFC. Yes, I know I’m excluding a new England Patriots team that beat Kansas City in the regular season, but I don’t think that would be the case if the two met again.

The Chargers have quietly lived up to their billing as a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the AFC and their Week 15 comeback win over the Chiefs proved they could beat anyone, not to mention prior impressive wins this season over Pittsburgh and Seattle.

As much as I like both, the Chiefs and Los Angeles rams, I’m going to say the Chargers and New Orleans Saints manage to reach Super Bowl 53 because of they have better defenses than the opponents I’m expecting them to face in their respective conference championship matchups.

While I’m not going to reveal my pick to win this year’s Super Bowl, you should now have a good idea of what lies ahead for the next few weeks at the very least.