The anticipation is palpable for the 2023 NFL wild card weekend, with the expanded playoff field here to stay as 14 teams battle it out for a place in the next postseason round.
Pre-season Super Bowl betting favourites the Bills were pipped to the first-round bye by the irresistible Philadelphia Eagles, and will now face-off against +460 underdogs Miami Dolphins.
Elsewhere, some of the more intriguing match-ups see the 13-for-4 Vikings pitted against the New York Giants, with the latter securing a playoff spot for the first time since 2016, while the Dallas Cowboys travel to Tampa Bay as slight favourites against Tom Brady and co, with the veteran QB experiencing a losing season for the first time in his career.
NFL Wild Card Weekend Picks
NFL Wild Card Weekend – Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants
| Bet |  |
 |
Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -163 | +143 |  |
| Point Spread | -3 (-112) | +3 (-108) | |
| Total Points | Under 48 (-110) | Over 48 (-110) | |
Kicking off our wild card picks, we head to Minnesota as the Vikings welcome the Giants for one of the clashes of the weekend. These two met little under three weeks ago on Christmas Eve with the Giants losing out by three points, largely due to a three touchdown masterclass from Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The hosts are vying for a first Super Bowl appearance in 46 years, and their 13-for-4 record this season is among the finest in the NFL. Although their end of season performances tailed off slightly, it is hard to ignore their imperious home form having gone 9-for-1 in their previous 10 at the US Bank.
This, coupled with the fact that the Giants claimed just two victories in their final eight games, sees us tipping Minnesota to cover their -3 spread which is set at -108
-
Our Pick – Minnesota Vikings -3 @ -112 with BetOnline
Related: NFL Wild Card Weekend: Schedule, TV Channel, And How To Live Stream
NFL Wild Card Weekend – Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins
| Bet |  |
 |
Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -580 | +460 | |
| Point Spread | -10.5 (-110) | +10.5 (-110) | |
| Total Points | Under 45 (-110) | Over 45 (-110) | |
Buffalo and Miami square off for the third time this season, with each franchise claiming a victory each. Both meetings finished with two and three points separating the teams, which certainly doesn’t bode well for the sizeable 10.5 points spread.
The Bills are handed a considerable amount of weight in current NFL betting, heading into this contest as -580 favourites. Bookmakers are likely looking at the Dolphins’ issues at quarterback with Tua Tagovailoa’s fitness still up in the air as he faces a race against time to prove he can pass concussion protocols.
Although seventh-round rookie Skylar Thompson deputised to great effect in their crucial final regular season win over the Jets, the Bills enter this wild card playoff full of bite having put up 35 points against the Patriots in a highly-charged, emotional performance following Damar Hamlin’s collapse.
While we do expect Buffalo to clinch an all-important win and continue their quest for the Lombardi Trophy, there is next-to-no value siding with them in the current markets. With that in mind, we are picking out the over total points at -110; this has occurred in four of the last seven Dolphins games, while this mark has been hit in three straight Bills games.
-
Our Pick – Over 45 Total Points @ -110 with BetOnline
NFL Wild Card Weekend – Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals
| Bet |  |
 |
Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -290 | +245 | |
| Point Spread | -6.5 (-110) | +6.5 (-110) | |
| Total Points | Under 43.5 (-110) | Over 43.5 (-110) | |
It is always tricky preparing to face a team in back-to-back games, but the Bengals will take comfort in the fact that they claimed victory with relative ease against the Ravens during their 27-16 showing in the final regular season game.
With Lamar Jackson sitting out that match-up, it is still unclear whether he will return to full fitness in time for Sunday and this could see third-string QB Anthony Brown deputise in his stead. Having only signed to the active roster on New Year’s Eve, Brown made his first start against Baltimore over the weekend and committed three turnovers.
Without Jackson, the Ravens just aren’t the same offensive machine and have failed to put up more than 17 points in his absence. With the Bengals also on a scintillating eight-game winning streak, we are loading the -6.5 points spread onto our bet slip for this weekend.
-
Our Tip – Bengals -6.5 @ -110 with BetOnline
NFL Wild Card Weekend – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys
| Bet |  |
 |
Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -150 | +130 | |
| Point Spread | -2.5 (-122) | +2.5 (-102) | |
| Total Points | Under 45.5 (-115) | Over 45.5 (-105) | |
The Buccaneers‘ seed in the playoff was locked in prior to their heavy 30-17 loss to the Falcons in Week 18, but their decision to pull of a whole host of starters in the second-half could stand them in good stead for this wild card match-up.
The Cowboys have stuttered in recent weeks, losing two of their final four regular season games to gingerly make their way to their postseason. In particular, QB Dak Prescott has struggled with a string of interceptions in recent weeks, taking his tally up to 15 in 12 appearances.
Against a Tampa side with Brady in the centre, this could spell danger. The 45-year-old signal caller is nowhere near as effective as he was in his prime, but still ranked in third at the close of the regular season for passing yards (4,694) with five game-winning drives.
The Cowboys and Prescott will need to put an end to turnovers and their inconsistent form of late, particularly with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin clicking with Brady in Week 17 to register over 120 receiving yards each.
Despite this, they have plenty of runners on the ground who can bring the play to the Bucs with the likes of Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliot, particularly with Tampa ranking in 9th for opponents yards allowed per game.
This is an incredibly tough game to call, but we are siding with the value and picking out the Bucs with a +130 moneyline win given the Cowboys’s recent misfortunes.
-
Our Tip – Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ +130 with BetOnline
Content You May Like
- Best Online Sportsbooks – We tested and reviewed the best US betting sites.
- Best Offshore Betting Sites – Compare top rated offshore betting sites for your next bets.
- Sportsbook Promo Codes – List of the latest sportsbook promo codes for your NFL bets.
- Best Sports Betting Apps – Guide of top rated betting apps available in the US.
The post NFL Wild Card Weekend Picks: Vikings to Cover the Spread Against the Giants appeared first on The Sports Daily.