The Divisional Round of the 2021-22 NFL Playoffs provided fans with some of the best football action that they’ve ever seen. Each of the weekend’s four games ended on the final position, leaving four teams to compete for a chance to win Super Bowl 56.
The Kansas City Chiefs look to continue their winning ways when they host the Cincinnati Bengals in this year’s AFC Championship Game. Meanwhile, an NFC West collision will go down at the NFC Championship Game when the Los Angeles Rams host the San Francisco 49ers in what’s sure to be one explosive affair.
Nevertheless, it can be hard to predict the outcome of such monumental NFL games. That’s why sportsbooks like BetOnline have released odds heading into the Conference Championship round, giving fans an idea of what to expect when it comes to a potential Super Bowl 56 matchup. We’ve also gathered the latest predictions from ESPN’s Football Power Index predictor.
Here’s a look at the odds heading into the NFL’s Conference Championship round.
NFL AFC Championship Game: Bengals vs Chiefs Odds and Prediction
Odds via BetOnline as of Wednesday, January 26
- Record: Cincinnati Bengals (10-7) vs Kansas City Chiefs (12-5)
- Start time: Sunday, Jan. 30 @ 3 p.m. EST
- Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO
- Moneyline: Bengals (+275) vs Chiefs (-330)
- Spread: Bengals +7.0 (-110) vs Chiefs -7.0 (-110)
- Total: 54.0 — Over (-115), Under (-105)
- Head-to-Head: The Bengals are 7-3 against the Chiefs in their last 10 games.
- ESPN Pick: Kansas City Chiefs
When it comes to the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs will enter as the 7-point home favorites, according to BetOnline. This shouldn’t come as much as a surprise to many because they have been the hottest team in the NFL for the last several months, going 12-2 in their last 14 games. Kansas City has scored exactly 42 points in their first two postseason games, which is thanks to Patrick Mahomes playing some of his best football of the season over that stretch (63/83, 782 passing yards, 8 TDs, 1 INT).
Meanwhile, the Bengals have won five of their last six games and scored an upset over the No. 1-ranked Tennessee Titans to advance to the next round of the NFL postseason. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase continue to lead the team’s offense, showing that the next generation of superstars is here.
The Chiefs may be playing on a different level right now, however, the Bengals do have a legitimate chance to upset them. It was back in Week 17 when Cincinnati scored a 34-31 upset victory over Kansas City, thanks to Chase’s 266-yard, three-touchdown performance. Even with the roll that the Chiefs have been on, the Bengals have a fighting chance as long as their young stars show up. If both teams play to their potential this Sunday, fans should be prepared for another shootout.
NFC Championship Game: Bengals vs Chiefs Odds and Prediction
Odds via BetOnline as of Wednesday, January 26
- Record: San Francisco 49ers (10-7) vs Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- Start time: Sunday, Jan. 30 @ 6:30 p.m. EST
- Location: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA
- Moneyline: 49ers (+162) vs Rams (-182)
- Spread: 49ers +3.5 (-113) vs Rams -3.5 (-107)
- Total: 46.5 — Over (-107), Under (-113)
- Head-to-Head: The 49ers are 7-3 against the Rams in their last 10 games.
- ESPN Pick: Los Angeles Rams
The 49ers have been one of the more feel-good stories of the NFL postseason, upsetting both the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers to get to the NFC Championship Game. Their defense has been a key to their success, giving up an average of only 13.5 points over their first two playoff games. While BetOnline has them listed as the 3.5-point road underdog, the 49ers swept their season series against the Rams this year.
Not only that but San Francisco is undefeated against Los Angeles since the 2019 NFL season began and they’ll look to continue that success this weekend.
On the other hand, the regular season doesn’t mean anything in the playoffs and the Rams look to prove that. Their playoff wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals mark the second time this season that they’ve scored 30-plus points in back-to-back contests. Considering how the 49ers held them to 34 total points in their two regular season meetings, this is the type of play Los Angeles needs to bring to the NFC Championship Game.
Fortunately, it doesn’t look like there’s a defense that can slow down Cooper Kupp. The Rams superstar has 14 receptions for 244 yards and two touchdowns to start the postseason and will likely be a handful for the 49ers defenders. Couple that with the fact that the Rams have a shot to play for the Super Bowl in their home building and it’s hard imagining them letting this opportunity slip away from them.
Despite what the odds say, the NFL’s Conference Championship matchups are shaping up to be unpredictable.
