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NFL Playoffs No. 1 Seeds: Odds and Betting Predictions

by Mike Allen - 11/7/2023

NFL Playoffs No. 1 seed odds Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs

Happy halfway point to the NFL regular season! The weeks seem to go by faster every year. It is already about that time to start looking ahead to the playoffs.

Today, we have some very fun betting odds that have the potential to last you for the entire second half of the regular season. These are new to me. I haven’t seen them posted on any sportsbooks in years past.

We can bet on who will be the No. 1 seed in both the NFC and the AFC. That, of course, narrows the field down quite a bit, more so in one conference than the other.

The betting favorite to be the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs is the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly stumbled out of the gates this year, but excellent coaching, along with creative QB sneaks like the tush-push, have carried them to the best record not only in the NFC but in the entire league.

In the AFC, the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs are unsurprisingly sitting atop the board with odds of just (+150) to be the first seed.

I am already eying those betting odds for the Baltimore Ravens, though, as we are seeing Lamar Jackson play some of the best football of his entire career.

Let's break down the chances of these top teams, including some potential scary segments of their remaining schedule, and make our predictions for the No. 1 seeds in the playoffs.

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NFC No. 1 Seed Betting Odds

Philadelphia Eagles: -110

Detroit Lions: +250

San Francisco 49ers: +450

Dallas Cowboys: +900

Seattle Seahawks: +3000

New Orleans Saints: +3000

The Philadelphia Eagles are (-110) for a reason. They are yet to have their bye week and have lost only 1 game so far this season. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been slightly hobbled with a bad knee lately, but you would never know by looking at the scoreboard or stat sheet.

The Detroit Lions have lost 2 games and are currently sitting at 6-2. The San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Seattle Seahawks are all 5-3. The latter showed us who they were last week, and it isn't an elite team.

The Dallas Cowboys appear to be the same old team we are used to; always the bridesmaid and never the bride.

The Niners, well, they can’t seem to win without future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams. With his age, you can imagine he will be at least a little banged up for the remainder of the season.

Brock Purdy has not looked the same since his exit. Some sharps are even saying the book is out on the young QB. He did get his head rattled before those recent interceptions he has thrown. So, I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

NFC No. 1 Seed Prediction

The 49ers are at a great buy-low spot after three consecutive losses with betting odds of (+450). They do have a head-to-head matchup with Philly and a similar remaining schedule. When I started researching for this article, I wanted to take San Francisco, and I am sticking with that.

The value for Philly isn't comparable to the Niners. We will need a few things to fall our way, but it's (+450). That's to be expected.

Pick: San Francisco 49ers (+450)

AFC No. 1 Seed Betting Odds

In the American Football Conference, the race for the No. 1 seed is slightly tighter. We do have a clear favorite, but I can't take my eye off of that (+290) for the Baltimore Ravens. That's nearly double the payout for the Chiefs, and the two teams currently have the same record of 7-2.

It would be wise for us not to dismiss the chances at a No. 1 for the Jacksonville Jaguars. They are young, hungry, and have already improved from the start of the season. I can’t get behind the Miami Dolphins here.

It was a fun game this past Sunday morning against the Chiefs, however, it was clear that the better team won. Miami has fallen significantly short against the Bills and Eagles. The defense isn't bad, but not good enough. No pun intended, but we have to pass on the Dolphins.

I actually like the chances of the Cincinnati Bengals more than them. They still have to travel to play the Chiefs, Jaguars, and Ravens, though.

The Steelers are really turning a corner this year. So, I like them to make the playoffs but definitely not as a No. 1 seed.

Kansas City Chiefs: +150

Baltimore Ravens: +290

Jacksonville Jaguars: +400

Miami Dolphins: +500

Cincinnati Bengals: +1000

Cleveland Browns: +1800

Buffalo Bills: +3500

Los Angeles Chargers: +7500

Pittsburgh Steelers: +8000

AFC No. 1 Seed Prediction

The remaining schedule for the Ravens may be the most difficult among them, the Chiefs, and the Jags. Jacksonville has the easiest, with KC set up for a strong finish with very winnable road games.

Give me the Ravens, though. I have never seen Lamar Jackson throw the ball as accurately with such precision as he has this season. The Ravens have already blown out 4 playoff teams this year, while the Chiefs struggled with the Broncos, Jets, and Vikings.

Pick: Baltimore Ravens (+290)

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