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One might argue that teams competing for one of the NFL wild cards don’t really have a shot of making it all the way to the Super Bowl. However, because of how the teams playing this weekend found themselves in this position anything could happen. I’ve got a surprise for you which can end up being profitable if they hit, let’s take a look at this year’s wild card weekend underdog moneyline picks.
Wild Card Weekend Upset ATS Picks
What: AFC Wild Card Playoff – Oakland Raiders at Houston Texans
When: Saturday, January 07, 2017
Start Time: 4:35 PM ET
Stadium: NRG Stadium
Spread: Texans -3.5
Moneyline: Texans -180 vs Raiders +160
Game Total: 36.5
Watch: ABC
Analysis: The Raiders are in a pretty pickle after losing quarterback Derek Carr to an injury suffered in Week 16. To make matters worse, Oakland may also have to do without backup QB Matt McGloin who also left the game due to injury which leaves them with third-stringer Connor Cook leading the offense.
However, Houston also isn’t without problems of their own at the quarterback position. Tom Savage may not take the field also because of an injury he suffered in his last game. This puts former starter Brock Osweiller back in the fold which some might consider to be a positive factor but it’s likely it’s not. Osweiller wasn’t successful as a starter and didn’t really mesh well with top receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
Small things like this can make a big difference come game time and I believe it opens up an opportunity for Oakland to pull off an upset. If the Raiders’ offensive line can keep the pressure off of Cook, I believe he’ll end up surprising more than a few.
Upset ATS Pick: Raiders +160
What: NFC Wild Card Playoff – Detroit Lions at Seattle Seahawks
When: Saturday, January 07, 2017
Start Time: 8:15 PM ET
Stadium: CenturyLink Field
Spread: Seahawks -8
Moneyline: Seahawks -360 vs Lions +300
Game Total: 43
Watch: NBC
Analysis: Granted, CenturyLink Field is one tough place to play. It’s loud, raucous, and confusing for any team that’s played there. Seattle has also won its last nine home playoff games and has not lost at home in a postseason game with Russell Wilson at the helm.
Nevertheless, the Lions this year overcame all-time leading receiver Calvin Johnson’s retirement, a multitude of injuries on both the offense and defense, and bucked the trend with more than a handful of come-from-behind victories in the fourth quarter. This is to say that the Lions are accustomed at being the underdogs. If Matt Stafford is in the zone, he can tear through Seattle’s defense which has been shaky this year.
Stafford, making his third postseason start, completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 4,327 yards – his most in three seasons – and 24 touchdowns to 10 interceptions, while Seattle’s defense went from fifth to 16th in turnovers forced per game, a critical part of the team’s success over the last four years. This should tell you something of the Lions’ chances of winning this game.
