The NFL has announced the schedule for the 2024 divisional playoff round, which features some highly anticipated matchups. According to the opening odds, the San Francisco 49ers are favored by 10 points over the Dallas Cowboys as the teams meet for the second straight postseason.
49ers Heavy Favorites Despite Cowboys Upset Win
The Cowboys pulled off an upset victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round. However, oddsmakers still view the 49ers as clear favorites in their divisional round tilt (source). The 49ers had a bye week after finishing with the NFC’s second best record at 14-3. They will host the Cowboys, who sneaked into the playoffs with a 9-8 record.
| Matchup | Spread | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|
| Cowboys at 49ers | SF -10 | 46.5 |
The 49ers still have the second best odds to win the Super Bowl despite most of the top seeds losing in the Wild Card round (source). They are +350 favorites behind only the Kansas City Chiefs at +290. The Cowboys sit at distant +1400 odds.
Schedule and Matchups Finalized for Remaining Playoff Games
The full schedule has been set for the final seven games of the NFL playoffs (source). After a wild Wild Card weekend that saw the Buccaneers, Bills, and Vikings upset, the Divisional round features some exciting games.
Saturday, January 21
Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs – This AFC matchup sees the Chiefs favored by 9.5 points at home against the underdog Jaguars, who are coming off an upset of the Chargers (source). Kansas City still has the best odds to make the Super Bowl from the AFC.
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles will host their division rival Giants as 10 point favorites after securing a first round bye (source). The Giants upset the Vikings but have lost both regular season meetings with Philadelphia this year.
Sunday, January 22
Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills – This matchup sees the Bills favored at home by just 3 points over the Bengals in a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game (source). The Bills will be looking to avenge their playoff exit last season.
Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers – As mentioned previously, the 49ers are big 10 point favorites playing at home against the Cowboys. Dak Prescott will look to lead his team to an upset victory.
The NFL has spaced out the games to have one matchup on Saturday and Sunday in both the AFC and NFC. This allows each game to get maximum exposure without competing against other playoff games.
How to Watch the Games
All the NFL playoff games will be nationally broadcasted. Here are the TV and streaming options:
- CBS/Paramount+ – AFC games on Saturday and Sunday
- Fox/Fox Sports – NFC games on Saturday and Sunday
- NBC/Peacock – Cowboys at 49ers on Sunday night
The games will also be available on mobile through the NFL and team apps. NFL playoff games historically draw massive TV audiences, with last years Bills-Chiefs divisional thriller peaking at over 42 million viewers.
Playoff Picture Coming Into Focus
With eight teams left, the picture for Super Bowl LVIII is getting clearer. In the NFC, the Eagles and 49ers established themselves as favorites after the first round. One of those two teams will likely represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, barring a major upset.
The AFC looks more wide open, especially after the Chiefs struggled against the Dolphins. The Bills and Bengals both have recent Super Bowl experience and the Jaguars showed they can compete with anyone. Realistically though, the winner of Chiefs-Bills looks poised to advance.
No matter the matchups, the divisional round always delivers some instant classic NFL playoff moments. Strap in for what should be an intense weekend of football!
Table summarizing the divisional round odds and predictions:
| Matchup | Favorite | Predicted Winner |
|---|
| Jaguars at Chiefs | Chiefs -9.5 | Chiefs
| Giants at Eagles | Eagles -10 | Eagles
| Bengals at Bills | Bills -3 | Bills
| Cowboys at 49ers | 49ers -10 | 49ers
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
