NFL Playoff Odds: Wild Card Bubble Teams, Biggest Games For Week 16
With most of the season in the books, it’s time for fans and bettors to start sweating their teams’ chance of making the playoffs. What do the sportsbook odds on making the NFL playoff have to say about the current picture?
The big story out of Week 15 was the Broncos all but securing a wild card, while the meaningful part of the Colts’ season likely ended. Additionally, the Bills’ big win in Detroit opened the door for the other NFC contenders to snatch the top seed and possibly unseat Detroit in the North.
Week 16 has a surprisingly slim selection of games with big-time playoff implications. The big spot that has come up is Ravens vs. Steelers, with Pittsburgh trying to sew up the division.
Let’s look at the odds for the NFL playoffs with teams on and around the bubble and highlight a few games that will move the needle this week.
NFL Team Odds To Make The Playoffs
Click the dropdown menu in the top left of the table below to pull up odds to make the NFL playoffs for any team, then click those odds to make a wager from among the best sports betting sites. And don’t forget to lock in the best sportsbook promo codes before making any bets.
Current Seeding: Odds To Make NFL Playoffs
| Team | No-Vig Odds | DVOA Odds | Current Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Playoff Picture | |||
| 5. Baltimore Ravens (9-5) | 97.1% | 99.8% | Yes -10000 on BetMGM |
| 6. Denver Broncos (9-5) | 88.7% | 94.6% | Yes -650 on FanDuel |
| 7. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) | 88% | 87.6% | Yes -5000 on BetMGM |
| 8. Indianapolis Colts (6-8) | 12% | 11.3% | Yes +600 on BetMGM |
| 9. Miami Dolphins (6-8) | 8% | 4.7% | Yes +1040 on FanDuel |
| 10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8) | 8% | 2% | Yes +900 on Bet365 |
| NFC Playoff Picture | |||
| 3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) | 88.7% | 90.3% | Yes -1200 on BetMGM |
| 4. L.A. Rams (8-6) | 64.1% | 59% | Yes -160 on BetMGM |
| 5. Minnesota Vikings (12-2) | OTB | 100% | Yes -10000 on BetMGM |
| 6. Green Bay Packers (10-4) | OTB | 100% | Yes -10000 on BetMGM |
| 7. Washington Commanders (9-5) | 82.7% | 88.2% | Yes -550 on BetMGM |
| 8. Seattle Seahawks (8-6) | 30.8% | 19.5% | Yes +210 on BetRivers |
| 9. Atlanta Falcons (7-7) | 28.2% | 20.4% | Yes +200 on BetMGM |
| 10. Arizona Cardinals (7-7) | 14.8% | 17.3% | Yes +600 on BetMGM |
| 11. San Francisco 49ers (6-8) | 0.66% | 0% | Yes +12500 on BetMGM |
*No-vig odds via BetMGM
Three Week 16 Games That Will Swing NFL Playoff Odds
Steelers At Ravens
- Steelers’ current seed: 3rd
- Ravens’ current seed: 5th
Win, and they take the division. That’s the scenario for the Steelers. Of course, winning in Baltimore is far easier said than done. Should Pittsburgh lose, the two teams would wind up tied in the standings, the division, and head-to-head. That would leave it to conference record, currently in favor of the Steelers, but they still have to play the Chiefs and Bengals.
The Ravens, meanwhile, have a virtual freebie at home against the remnants of the Browns. So, they’d be in a decent position but would still need the Steelers to drop one more game while also winning out themselves.
Ravens’ Upcoming Schedule
Vikings At Seahawks
- Vikings’ current seed: 5th
- Seahawks’ current seed: 8th
Minnesota has a shot to dethrone Detroit. It may come down to Week 18 in Detroit. And at the rate the Lions’ season is going, they might have brought Ndamukong Suh back out of retirement by then to play DL. The Vikes may also catch a break here if Geno Smith cannot go.
The Seahawks were looking to be in a pretty good spot entering Week 15, but they’re suddenly in real danger of missing the playoffs. The loss to Green Bay was a crusher in terms of results and the aforementioned injury. The offense looked non-functional, and Seattle doesn’t have an easy closing stretch. It has a tiny path to a wild card, but it’s almost non-existent. Washington is a game up with a better conference record and a more manageable schedule. L.A. gets Seattle at home in Week 18 with a chance to sweep the season series.
Seahawks’ Upcoming Schedule
49ers at Dolphins
- 49ers’ current seed: 9th
- Dolphins’ current seed: 11th
The loser leaves town and probably the winner, too. But if either of these teams is going to make an unlikely playoff run, it has to start here. The 49ers need a ton of help, with DVOA tabbing them as officially dead, but they technically still have a tiny chance.
The Dolphins are two games back of the Chargers, so they also need help. A Broncos win on Thursday night would be a very friendly start. They’ll also be rooting for Indianapolis to falter at home against the Titans, as the Colts beat them in an ugly game earlier this year when Tua Tagovailoa was out.
Dolphins’ Upcoming Schedule
Latest NFL Betting News
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