NFC divisional betting preview: Can Daniels keep pace with Lions' offense?
We've covered the AFC, now it's time to turn our attention to the NFC.
The Super Bowl favorite Lions headline the NFC's final four. Detroit is +275 to win it all at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet and is a big favorite at home in the divisional round against the Commanders.
Let's get to it.
The Lions host the Commanders on Saturday night in a game with shootout potential. The total is 55.5, the highest for an NFL game this season.
There are very few negatives attached to the Lions. They have the most potent offense in the NFL, averaging 33.2 points per game, and their defense is getting healthier, even though standout pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson remains sidelined. Linebacker Alex Anzalone returned in Week 18 and helped hold the Vikings to only nine points.
David Montgomery is also set to return after missing the season's final three games with a knee injury. Adding a player of Montgomery's caliber to an offense is never a negative, but Jahmyr Gibbs has been incredible while handling the bulk of the Lions' carries. Gibbs' flow could be disrupted if he returns to a 50-50 split.
On the other side of the field, the Commanders are getting 9.5 points after a thrilling win on the road last week in Tampa Bay. Jayden Daniels led the Commanders to another no-punt game and became only the fourth rookie in the Super Bowl era to win a road playoff contest.
Daniels looked completely comfortable in a playoff setting. Perhaps the environment in Detroit will be more raucous than in Tampa Bay, but the bright lights clearly don't affect the rookie QB. He threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns while adding 36 yards on the ground.
The Commanders' defense will be the big question in this game. Daniels should be able to move the ball on the Lions' defense and put up enough points to give his team a good chance. But this contest could get out of hand if the Commanders don't have an answer for the Lions' two-headed monster in the backfield. Washington conceded the third-most rushing yards per game during the regular season.
With all that said, we'll trust Washington's defense to step up to the challenge. It held Bucky Irving to 77 yards last week and has only allowed one 100-yard rusher in its last 10 games. (Saquon Barkley did it twice.) If Gibbs and Montgomery are held in check, the Commanders should be able to keep it within 9.5 points.
Pick: Commanders +9.5
The Eagles host the Rams on Sunday afternoon to round out the NFC semis. Los Angeles dominated the Vikings at a neutral-site game in Arizona to set up a meeting with Philadelphia, a rematch of their Week 12 game, which the Eagles won handily 37-20.
The Rams played inspired football last week, playing for a city dealing with horrible wildfires that forced the game's relocation. Their defense was relentless, making Sam Darnold look like he was still playing for the Jets and not the 14-win quarterback of this season.
It was a nice one-week story, but the Eagles are a much different beast.
The Eagles' elite offensive line won't let the Rams generate as much pressure as they did last week while opening running lanes for Barkley to exploit. Barkley rushed for 255 yards and two touchdowns the last time he faced the Rams, and, while a repeat performance of that magnitude is tough to predict, he should be able to run wild once again.
Jalen Hurts looked solid against the Packers in his return from a concussion. He wasn't asked to do much, throwing the ball just 21 times and letting Barkley carry the offensive load, but he was effective when needed.
The Eagles' defense is one of the league's best, allowing the second-fewest points per game in the regular season (17.8). It has the talent at defensive back to limit Puka Nacua and can clog up the middle to make it tough sledding for Kyren Williams.
The Eagles are the better team on both sides of the ball and have home-field advantage. They were 8-1 at home this season, and the Philly fans can be ruthless toward opposing sides. The Eagles would be the side to pick if covering 9.5 points, but it's a no-brainer at only six.
Pick: Eagles -6