The NFL playoff matchups are set and there are some excellent games on the schedule for super wild-card weekend.
The latest: The Detroit Lions are back in the playoffs, and a familiar face comes to town in Matthew Stafford as he leads the surging Los Angeles Rams. The Buffalo Bills enter the postseason buzzing and a home date against the Pittsburgh Steelers is up next. Thirdly, the Dallas Cowboys are in friendly confines against Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers.
Check out the latest NFL playoff odds as of January 8.
NFL playoff odds
| Matchup | Away ML odds | Home ML odds | Total |
| CLE (-3) @ HOU | -148 | +123 | 43.5 |
| MIA @ KC (-3.5) | +150 | -186 | 43 |
| PIT @ BUF (-10) | +365 | -480 | 37.5 |
| GB @ DAL (-7.5) | +275 | -360 | 49.5 |
| LAR @ DET (-3.5) | +138 | -167 | 51.5 |
| PHI (-3) @ TB | -148 | +120 | 44 |
NFL odds as of 12:19 p.m. ET on 01/08/2024.
NFL playoff odds: Saturday's wild-card scheduleÂ
Browns @ Texans
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When: Sat. Jan. 13Â @ 4:30 p.m. ET
These two teams are linked because of the Deshaun Watson trade but he won't be suiting up for either of the postseason-bound squads.
Instead, it's a battle of youth vs. experience at quarterback with Joe Flacco taking on C.J. Stroud.
Flacco was a last-ditch resort for a Cleveland team turning to its fourth QB of the season. His comeback story, however, has been nothing short of remarkable. He's 4-1 in five starts, averaging 323.2 passing yards per game with 13 total TD passes.
Stroud, on the other hand, is the favourite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year and has taken the league by storm. He threw for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions while going 9-6 as a starter.
Cleveland's Jekyll-and-Hyde defence will be the deciding factor in this contest. The Browns are allowing the fewest points per game at home (13.9) and are tied for ceding the most points per game (29.6) on the road.
These two teams met in Week 16, a game the Browns won, 36-22. Stroud missed the game due to injury, however, which makes the rematch a much different contest.
Dolphins @ ChiefsÂ
When: Sat. Jan. 13Â @ 8 p.m. ET
This isn't where Miami wanted to be.
The Dolphins were in the driver's seat to win the AFC East for most of the season but squandered it late. They lost three of their last five to close out the year, ceding the top spot to the Bills.
Now Miami has to go on the road, which is a big deal. The team is an impressive 7-2 at home but an underwhelming 4-4 as a visitor.
These two squads met earlier this season in a game Kansas City won, 21-14. That game was played in Frankfurt, Germany, while the rematch will take place at Arrowhead Stadium.
Health will be a major factor for the Dolphins. Key defensive players Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips are out for the year while Xavien Howard missed last week's pivotal game against the Bills.
Additionally, Jaylen Waddle and Raheem Mostert both missed Week 18's contest, which puts their status into question for wild-card weekend.
NFL playoff odds: Sunday's wild-card scheduleÂ
Steelers @ Bills
When: Sun. Jan. 14 @ 1 p.m. ET
Once the Jacksonville Jaguars lost in Week 18, both of these teams could breathe a sigh of relief.
Pittsburgh and Buffalo both clinched playoff spots because of that result. Buffalo's win over Miami on Sunday Night Football set up this matchup, making the Bills the biggest favourite of wild-card weekend.
It doesn't take much investigative work to figure out why this line is as big as it is. Mason Rudolph will hit the road to battle Josh Allen in what's the biggest QB mismatch of this round.
T.J. Watt's injury is also a huge factor. Watt is the lifeblood of the Steelers and he appears to be a long shot to play after sustaining a Grade 2 MCL sprain against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bills enter the playoffs riding a five-game winning streak, while the Steelers have won each of their last three.
Packers @ Cowboys
When: Sun. Jan. 14 @ 4:30 p.m. ET
Some are dubbing this the "Mike McCarthy Bowl," but if he does end up becoming the focal point of this game, it'll likely be for dubious reasons.
Dallas would love nothing more than to have Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb continue to dominate. The MVP and Offensive Player of the Year candidates have formed one of football's most dynamic duos.
Prescott threw for 4,516 passing yards and led the league with 36 touchdown passes. He threw just nine interceptions this year after tying for the league lead in the category last season (15).
Lamb, meanwhile, turned in an exceptional season. He led the league with 135 receptions and finished second in receiving yards (1,749) and receiving touchdowns (12).
He added another 113 yards on the ground and two touchdowns, putting him first among all wide receivers in scrimmage yards and touchdowns.
The Packers are in the playoffs thanks to the improved play of Jordan Love. From Week 11 onward, Love led Green Bay to a 6-2 record, averaged 268.8 passing yards per game, and threw 18 touchdowns to one interception.
Green Bay was 4-5 as a visitor this season while Dallas was a perfect 8-0 at home.
Rams @ Lions
When: Sun. Jan. 14 @ 8 p.m. ET
The storylines are just oozing from this matchup.
Stafford and Goff were swapped two offseasons ago in one of the biggest NFL trades of the last decade. The move paid immediate dividends for Los Angeles, as the team won the Super Bowl the following season.
It's taken Detroit some time to get off the mat, but the team is heading in the right direction. The Lions won their first divisional title since 1993 thanks to a balanced offensive attack. Goff finished second in the NFL in passing yards (4,575) and was one of four QBs to finish with over 30 passing touchdowns.
Stafford was never able to lead Detroit to a playoff win in his 12 years with the team, but now he returns to Ford Field with a chance to crush Motown's Super Bowl hopes. His team is riding high, too, as the Rams have won seven of their last eight games.
Goff, meanwhile, can stick it to the team that ditched him and earn the Lions a playoff win, something his predecessor wasn't able to accomplish.
NFL playoff odds: Monday's wild-card scheduleÂ
Eagles @ Buccaneers
When: Mon. Jan. 15 @ 8:15 p.m. ET
There isn't a team entering the playoffs with less momentum than Philadelphia.
The Eagles have lost five of their last six games, making last year's Super Bowl appearance feel like a distant memory. The defence has completely nosedived as the unit is allowing 30.3 points per game during this stretch.
It went from bad to worse for the squad in Week 18 as both Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown picked up injuries. It's unclear whether or not the ailments will hold either player out of the lineup.
Tampa Bay gets to host a playoff game after winning the worst division in the league, the NFC South. The Buccaneers lost to the Eagles, 25-11, in Week 3, but this looks like a vastly different Philadelphia squad.
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