NFL Divisional Round Updated Odds, Preview & Predictions
Written by: Danny Burke
Published: Mon Jan 12, 2026, 12:54 pm ET
Read Time: 8 minutes
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We still have Monday night's matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans to go, but it's already been an eventful Wild Card Weekend, and it's shaping up to deliver an even more exciting Divisional Round.
Let's get you ready for all of the second-round postseason action with our NFL Divisional Round preview, predictions and updated odds.
For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today's slate, take a look at our NFL Picks Page or our NFL Odds Page.
You can also browse our recommendations for the best online sportsbooks available in the U.S.
NFL Divisional Round Updated Odds, Preview & Predictions
NFL Updated Odds
Below are the updated odds for the Super Bowl, along with the NFC and AFC Championship, courtesy of Lucky Rebel. Naturally, these numbers could shift slightly depending on the result of tonight's matchup between the Steelers and Texans, but as things stand, this is how the market is shaping up:
- Seahawks (+300)
- Rams (+350)
- Bills (+550)
- Patriots (+625)
- Broncos (+825)
- Bears (+1400)
- Texans (+1400)
- 49ers (+1800)
- Steelers (+3500)
- Seahawks (+115)
- Rams (+175)
- Bears (+575)
- 49ers (+875)
- Bills (+230)
- Patriots (+230)
- Broncos (+285)
- Texans (+575)
- Steelers (+1600)
NFL Division Round Preview
Saturday will feature both conference No. 1 seeds in action. The top-seeded Denver Broncos will square off against the No. 6 seed Buffalo Bills, while the NFC's No. 1 seed Seattle Seahawks will host a familiar opponent in their division rival, the San Francisco 49ers, who entered the postseason as the No. 6 seed.
Then on Sunday, the Chicago Bears will look to keep their magic alive as they host the Los Angeles Rams, led by potential league MVP Matt Stafford. In the other matchup, the New England Patriots will await the winner of Monday night's contest between Pittsburgh and Houston.
Denver Broncos vs Buffalo Bills
In the Mile High City, sportsbooks opened this matchup as a pick'em with a total of 46.5. Since then, the market has shifted toward Buffalo, with the Bills moving to a consensus 1.5-point favorite, while the total has remained steady.
These two teams did not meet during the regular season. Weather shouldn't play much of a role, as the forecast calls for temperatures in the low 50s, minimal wind and no precipitation expected.
Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers
When three teams from the same division make the postseason, it's almost inevitable that two will end up facing each other. That's exactly the case in the Pacific Northwest, where Sam Darnold and the Seahawks will host Brock Purdy and the 49ers.
These teams met twice during the regular season, opening and closing the year against one another. In the first meeting, San Francisco went on the road and escaped with a 17-13 victory.
Then in Week 18, with the division title on the line, Seattle's dominant defense stood tall, limiting Kyle Shanahan's offense to just three points in a 13-3 Seahawks win.
For the rubber match, sportsbooks opened Darnold and company as seven-point favorites with a total of 45.5. There's been minimal movement on the total, but Seattle has drawn early money, with the line ticking up to -7.5 at some shops.
Chicago Bears vs Los Angeles Rams
Somehow, someway, the Chicago Bears found themselves winning in miraculous fashion once again. Their reward? A matchup against a team many consider to be the best in football.
That said, there are a few advantages working in favor of Caleb Williams and company. Chicago will have home-field advantage, the Rams are traveling cross-country for the second straight week, and a warm-weather team will be walking into a frigid environment with sub-10-degree temperatures, double-digit winds and a chance of snowfall.
Los Angeles opened as high as 4.5-point favorites, but was quickly bet down to -3.5. The total opened around 51.5, with some books holding that number and others dropping to 51.
New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers / Houston Texans
After defeating the Chargers 16–3 on Sunday Night Football, Drake Maye and the Patriots now await to see whether they'll be hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers or Houston Texans.
New England did not face Houston during the regular season, but they did square off against Mike Tomlin and the Steelers. In Week 3, Pittsburgh traveled to Foxborough and handed the Patriots one of their three losses on the year.
The Steelers closed as 1.5-point favorites with a total of 44.5. Pittsburgh won and covered 21–14, with the under cashing comfortably.
Maye completed 28 of 37 passes for 268 yards with two touchdowns, one interception and one fumble. Aaron Rodgers finished 16 of 23 for just 139 yards, with two touchdowns and one pick.
As a team, New England turned the ball over five times – the interception and fumble from Maye, plus three additional fumbles between running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. Despite that, the Patriots still only lost by seven points.
Some sportsbooks are already hanging hypothetical lines. If New England were to host Pittsburgh, the Patriots would be 5.5-point favorites with a total hovering around 46.5.
If it's Patriots vs Texans, New England would be favored by just 1.5 points, with the total dipping to 43.5. The forecast calls for a cold night with a chance of flurries, but nothing too extreme.
NFL Division Round Predictions
When analyzing these matchups and the futures market, a couple of things stand out. Full disclosure, I haven't officially bet anything yet. However, what does catch my eye from a value perspective is taking the points with the 49ers, and taking a shot on the Patriots at +230 to win the AFC.
San Francisco's defense is rough, and they just lost by double digits to Seattle a couple of weeks ago. That said, even that shaky defense still managed to limit Sam Darnold and the Seahawks to just 13 points. Division games tend to play close, especially in the third meeting of the year in a playoff setting, with two capable coaches and quarterbacks on opposite sidelines.
And let's be frank – the better coach and quarterback are on the side of the road underdog. Defensively, it's a much different story, but at two of the most crucial positions, the 49ers hold the edge. I'd look to take the points with Purdy and Shanahan.
As for the other angle, I view New England as having the most favorable matchup this upcoming weekend, regardless of who they face.
I'm not particularly high on this Texans team, so if Houston advances, I'd be looking to bet the Patriots in that matchup anyway – especially if the line sits around -1.5. And if New England draws the Steelers, that's an even better scenario. I do expect Pittsburgh to keep things close on Monday night and potentially pull off the win, but that would be their ceiling for this postseason.
Tomlin's group has been flawed all season long, and when you consider that they only beat New England by a touchdown in their first meeting, despite the Patriots giving the ball away five times, and before New England really hit its stride this season, it's easy to envision a bounce-back performance.
If the Patriots were to win and advance to the AFC Championship Game, I'd essentially be holding a Patriots +230 moneyline ticket against either the Broncos or Bills. That's not a bad position to be in.
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Danny Burke is a betting analyst with a decade of sports media experience. He got his start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, sharing picks on the local ESPN affiliate. After college, he hosted shows for VSiN in Las Vegas before returning to Chicago to launch 'Rush Hour', the first daily sports betting show from an Illinois casino. He also co-hosted 'Props and Locks' on Fox32’s Bears pregame show and ran 'Bet On, Chicago' on WLS-AM 890.
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