NFL Championship Sunday is set. The AFC Conference Championship will be represented by the Bengals vs the Chiefs while the NFC Title game will feature the 49ers against the Eagles.
Oddsmakers believe both of these games will be close and are fairly evenly matched. Both games have the betting favorites favored by fewer than -2.5 points at Caesars Sportsbook.
Last week, my best bets for the NFL Divisional Weekend went 2-2. With three NFL games left to play in the 2022-2023 NFL betting season, let’s try to end the year with a perfect record.
Anthony Cervino’s 2022 NFL Best Bets Record: 43-63 (-28.5 Units)
NFL odds and lines are current as of 3 p.m. ET, on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at Caesars Sportsbook.
NFL Championship Sunday Best Bet
AFC Championship Best Bet: Bengals vs Chiefs
Bengals -2 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Bengals and Chiefs will meet for the fourth time in the past two seasons. This will be the second consecutive AFC Championship Game that these two teams will face off.
The Bengals are 3-0 in those three games, including last year’s AFC title game win at Arrowhead.
Joe Burrow already appears to be Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City’s kryptonite. However, to make matters worse for the Chiefs, Mahomes is set to play through a high ankle sprain.
Though these injuries tend to be multi-week injuries, Mahomes ultimately returned to last week’s win over the Jaguars and will play against Cincy on Sunday.
- See our expert picks for NFL Conference Championship props.
A hobbled Mahomes will likely mean that the elite quarterback will be limited mobility-wise, one of the strengths of his skill set. Still, it will be hard to count the Chiefs out.
The Bengals are one of the most complete teams in the NFL. Notably, the defensive side of the football is flying under the radar due to the team’s offensive studs.
But this Bengals’ defense played a tremendous role in why they are here and why they will advance to the team’s second straight Super Bowl.
The Bengals’ defense ended the regular season sixth in scoring, conceding 20.1 points per game. They also held opponents to fewer than 17 points in both playoff games.
Keep up with the best NFL odds for NFL Divisional Round games
This defense is also opportunistic, forcing 24 turnovers in regular season play.
The Bengals have covered the spread in five of the past six meetings against the Chiefs, including in each of their past three games - all Cincy wins. Kansas City is also 0-5 ATS in each of their past five games facing teams with a winning record.
The Bengals win, cover, and advance on Sunday.
Lock in my NFL bet of the day, and read more about this game in our Bengals vs Chiefs predictions.)
NFC Championship Best Bet: 49ers vs Eagles
Eagles -2.5 (-115) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Eagles may only be favored by five points, but they have a distinct advantage over the 49ers at the quarterback position. Last week, Brock Purdy appeared shaken facing the Cowboys’ pass rush, which was the best he’d faced since taking over as San Francisco’s starter.
But this Eagles’ defense is different. It ended the regular season with 70 sacks, 15 more than the second-best team.
They will get to Purdy and force him to make mistakes. The 49ers will have to lean on the run even more so to not only score the football but to also keep this high-octane Philly offense off the field.
You can run on the Eagles, but they ended the regular season as the best team in defending the pass. Purdy will have his hands full and this could be the game where he implodes.
When it comes to the Eagles’ offense, they can beat you in many different ways. Jalen Hurts will be the first true running quarterback they have faced.
- Build chances to bloat your bankroll with our NFL Conference Championship Parlays.
Sure, the 49ers played and lost to the Justin Fields-led Bears in September, but that was before the signal caller’s breakout.
The Eagles will prove to be too much for the 49ers. They will advance to Super Bowl 57.
Read all about the NFC Championship Game in our 49ers vs Eagles Prediction.
