2025 Conference Championship Betting Odds and Predictions

NFC Championship Betting Preview with Prediction

The Washington Commanders knocked off the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, against all odds as a 9.5-point underdog in the NFC Divisional Round. Commanders’ QB Jayden Daniels can become the first rookie signal-caller to go to the Super Bowl.

The heavy favorite to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award chewed up the Lions for 299 yards, two touchdown passes, and 51 rushing yards. Can he roll through the Eagles’ defense in the NFC Championship?

THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP WILL BE AN NFC EAST BATTLE 😤

We'll see you Sunday at 3pm ET for @Commanders at @Eagles 🏆🏈 pic.twitter.com/Sd59wyzdxJ

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 19, 2025

The Lions were dealing with an incredible rash of injuries. And while the Eagles have injuries of their own in the secondary, they were the most underrated defense in the NFL. Philadelphia is first in the NFL, with 286.1 yards allowed per game.

Additionally, the Eagles lead with 4.8 yards allowed per play! Daniels won’t be thrilled to know that Philadelphia have just 181.4 passing yards on average allowed this season. The Eagles’ secondary ranks second in the league. Worst of all for the Commanders: How are they going to stop RB Saquon Barkley?

I don’t have an answer. They can stack the box, but QB Jalen Hurts can hit the Commanders over the top in the passing game. The Commanders have allowed 138.9 yards per game on the ground. Washington was gashed for 8.7 yards per carry on the ground, with Lions’ RB Jahmyr Gibbs gaining 105 yards on 7.5 yards per attempt!

Barkley averaged 7.9 yards per carry and 205 yards against the Rams. He led the NFL in rushing and has romped for at least 107 yards in eight of the last nine weeks. Washington has no answer for the Eagles’ offensive line and Barkley.

SAQUON BARKLEY 78 YARDS GOOOOODBYE!

📺: #LARvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/88LvtJoEFa

— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025

The Eagles are 9-0 outright in their last nine games at home, and 5-1 against the spread (ATS) in the previous six versus NFC East teams. Daniels will be back in the NFC Championship in the future, but he’ll have to wait to win this game.

The 2025 NFC Championship totals line should be at least -7.5 in favor of the Eagles. With this in mind, I like the Eagles to cover the point spread and win by roughly 10 points over the Commanders!

Total Rushing Attempts: Saquon Barkley (PHI) Over 24.5 (-135)

In line with our analysis of this NFC East rivalry showdown, the Commanders need to get ready for a lot of Barkley. The former Penn State star has been the key to Philly’s season, and they’re going to ride him again on Sunday.

KEEP GOING 🤞🏾🖤 pic.twitter.com/rJpts2oXyQ

— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) January 20, 2025

Bovada has a line of 24.5 carries for this game, and that is favored to go over at -135. Barkley didn’t reach that number until the eighth game of the season. Since then, he has carried the ball 25 times or more seven times, including in both postseason games! The former New York Giant also ran 26 times in Philadelphia’s first meeting with the Commanders, and 29 times in the second meeting.

I wouldn’t be shocked if Barkley got up to 30 carries as the Eagles are within reach of the Super Bowl, so let’s take that over!

Total Receving Yards: Terry McLaurin (WAS) Under 64.5 (-115)

The Commanders had a massive offensive game against the Lions, but it’s hard to believe they can do that against the Eagles. Their secondary is top-notch, and they’re going to focus on McLaurin, who has averaged 88 receiving yards in the Commanders’ two playoff games!

Happy for our team, and happy for our fans. On to the next🙏🏾 https://t.co/w2IWRc8ew4

— Terry McLaurin (@TheTerry_25) January 19, 2025

The Eagles have had McLaurin’s number in their two meetings. In the first game, the former Ohio State Buckeye had a single catch for 10 yards! The second was better, with five receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown. It’s going to be a chilly day in Philadelphia, so it might be a tough one for pass catchers!

Bovada has McLaurin’s total receiving yards line at 64.5, with odds of -115 for both the over and the under. I’m recommending the under because I think the Eagles will try to force someone else to beat them through the air, and send a lot of attention McLaurin’s way.

AFC Championship Betting Preview with Prediction

Now that we’ve made our NFC Championship predictions, let’s turn our attention to the AFC Championship game on Sunday! The Buffalo Bills and Kansas Chiefs meet for the fourth time in the playoffs since 2021.

Chiefs’ QB Patrick Mahomes has had a huge upper hand in this series. He and the Chiefs have won all three previous games, including the 2021 AFC Championship. In their latest playoff matchup, the Chiefs ousted the Bills in the AFC Divisional Round last January, by a score of 27-24.

Mahomes. Allen.

Chiefs. Bills.

WHO. YA. GOT!?!? pic.twitter.com/WbpERV4cdL

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 20, 2025

Mahomes has dominated the Bills in the playoffs. He’s averaged 306 yards passing at a 75.2% completion rate, and delivered eight touchdown passes and no interceptions in three games. Mahomes has been the Bills’ kryptonite in the postseason, and I don’t know if anything changes this time.

The Chiefs’ offense hasn’t been nearly as explosive as in the past, but it doesn’t mean they have to be explosive to win games. They went 15-2 in the regular season and won the AFC West for a reason!

Mahomes and the offense made plays in the clutch when they had to this season. It was an efficient unit that made the best of the situation despite a myriad of injuries.

As long as TE Travis Kelce is running around finding the soft zones in the secondary, the offense is in fine shape. Kelce started slowly this season, but he is back to form across the middle of the field. He collected seven receptions, 117 yards, and a touchdown versus the Texans!

Travis Kelce rumbles for 49 yards!

📺: #HOUvsKC on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/dKYyXKnOZ5

— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2025

Now, the offense has gotten some bodies back, notably WR Hollywood Brown, and they are more dangerous than earlier in the season. Mahomes has been incredibly efficient, with no interceptions in seven consecutive games. The Bills are the last team to pick off the QB on November 17.

Buffalo won that matchup by a score of 31-20, but Arrowhead Stadium in the playoffs is a different animal. Mahomes and the Chiefs have reached their stride at the perfect time, and are in better shape than they were back then. As a short favorite, the Chiefs win by a field goal to set up a rematch versus the Eagles in Super Bowl 59!

Total Receptions: Noah Gray (KC) Over 1.5 (-105)

The Bills are going to be watching Travis Kelce with a close eye, which is going to open up the field for someone. That someone is Noah Gray, who had three catches for 13 yards in the win over Houston!

This is a Noah Gray appreciation post. Absolutely balled out for us this year 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uWla93t2Rp

— Sam Badger (@Sbadger23) January 13, 2025

Gray just needs to hit the two-reception mark, as 1.5 is the line at Bovada, with odds of -105 for the over, and -125 for the under. I’m hitting the over as Gray has gone over 1.5 catches 12 times this season. He also had four catches for 23 yards in the regular-season loss to the Bills, including two touchdowns! Let’s bang that -105 on over 1.5 receptions for Gray!

Anytime TD Scorer: James Cook (+110)

The Bills’ running back is an underrated player as Cook takes some of the pressure off Josh Allen. Cook had his second straight 1,000-yard campaign this season, but after four touchdowns combined in his first two seasons, the former Georgia product broke out for 16 touchdowns!

James Cook was cooking the broncos defense, where’s the Agenda for him? Bills fans must be sleeping on him pic.twitter.com/wIaRmLTCON

— $EN (@youngsenseirod) January 12, 2025

Cook didn’t find the end zone against Baltimore, but that was the first time that happened since December 8, a span of six games! I expect Cook to get there against the Chiefs, and at +110, let’s take it!