The Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens are facing off in the AFC Championship this weekend. This is a highly anticipated matchup, as the Chiefs have made it to this game for six straight seasons, while the Ravens haven’t been here since 2013.
There are a lot of narratives in this game, and if it lives up to the hype, fans could be in for a real treat. With all of this in mind, let’s strap in, and get right into our favorite bets and player props from this game, along with the live odds.
The Ravens are favored by 3.5 points in this contest. This is effectively a pick-em, as sportsbooks are said to give home teams a three-point advantage.
With that being said, the majority of NFL analysts and media personalities are giving the edge to the Ravens in this one, seemingly predicting that they will win this game.
Best Bets: Chiefs +4 and Over 44
We’re going with a contrarian play and taking the Chiefs, both to cover the spread and to win the game outright. This doesn’t feel like the time to fade Patrick Mahomes.
The current over/under in this game is 44.5. We expect this to be a close one that will likely come to the wire. While both teams have strong defenses, we’re taking the over on this one, as their offenses will hopefully win the battle.
Best Bet: Lamar Jackson 25+ Rush Yds in Each Half (+130, FanDuel)
We love the +130 juice on this one. The Chiefs got torched on the ground by Josh Allen last week, who rushed for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson had a great game of his own against the Houston Texans, rushing for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Both teams are going to do whatever possible to win, and Jackson has no problem taking off on the run. We believe this will cash easily, and with the juice at +130, it’s worth a shot.
Best Bet: 1+ TD In Every Quarter (+160, FanDuel)
We like this bet for a few reasons. The main reason is that we’re anticipating the over to hit, and for the over to hit, both of these teams will need to score.
It’s not hard to believe that this bet will hit, especially since these are two of the best offenses in the NFL. Here’s hoping for a high-scoring game!
Patrick Mahomes OVER 1.5 Passing Touchdowns
Is it just me, or is this line too low? Mahomes is still one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, and his record in the playoffs is undeniable.
He has made it to six straight AFC Championships, and Mahomes has thrown two or more touchdown passes in 12 career playoff games. Don’t overthink taking the over here.
Mark Andrews OVER 5 Targets
Mark Andrews is back! After a several-month hiatus due to injury, Andrews is making his return to the field. What better timing for the Ravens than their most important game of the season?
Andrews was Jackson’s top target before his injury, and while it’s his first game back, we anticipate that he will be a full go. Knowing that Andrews likely wouldn’t return to the field unless he felt close to 100%, we’re going to take the over on his target total.
This just feels like a big Andrews game, and we’re all about it! Let's play the Over on this one!
