The pursuit of earning a position at State Farm Stadium for the Super Bowl LVII is underway. The regular season has concluded, and now NFL fans turn their attention to the Super Wild Card Weekend that boasts multiple intriguing matchups.
The Super Wild Card Weekend commences on January 14. It will present some of the NFL's most elite defensive players alongside the best quarterbacks, each of whom will be giving their most commendable efforts on the playoff stage.
All of the upcoming wild card games will receive attention in the coming days, but a handful of meetings require more recognition than others. Below, you'll find our rankings of the upcoming playoff slate and the betting odds for each game.
1. Dallas Cowboys @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When: Monday, Jan. 16 at 8:15 PM ET
Where: Raymond James Stadium (Florida)
Betting Odds: Cowboys -2.5, Over/Under 45.5
Of all the wild card games, we had no choice but to place America's Team and Tom Brady (the G.O.A.T) atop our rankings.
Yes, Brady is back in the playoffs, again, albeit for a Buccaneers team that hasn't shown much promise during the regular season and will kickstart their postseason efforts with a losing record. With that said, records hold little weight during the playoffs, and if there's anything that can strike fear into an opposing team in a wild card game, it's the fact that TB12 is standing in front of you. Adding more intrigue to this matchup, Brady is 7-0 in his career versus the Cowboys, a worrisome statistic for Mike McCarthy and his Cowboys team.
While we highlighted the lackluster regular season of the Bucs, the Cowboys will also enter this fixture following a less-than-desirable run. A regular-season finale loss to Washington, where McCarthy fielded his strongest team, doesn't give the best impression for America's Team as they face Brady and Co. Will the Cowboys coach go one-and-done in the playoffs again?
2. Los Angeles Chargers @ Jacksonville Jaguars
When: Saturday, Jan. 14 at 8:15 PM ET
Where: TIAA Bank Field (Florida)
Betting Odds: Pick 'em, Over/Under 47.5
There's no denying that quarterbacks receive most of the spotlight. It's the most crucial position in football, and it's a huge reason why the NFL is the most-watched sport in North America. On that note, Saturday's game between the Chargers and the Jaguars boasts two of the most promising up-and-coming quarterbacks the NFL has to offer, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert. Both youngsters will make their postseason debut, and should they lead their team deeper into the playoffs, a new name could emerge when discussing the best QBs in football.
Of course, because of the QB battle, this game became one of our top-three meetings to watch from the Wild Card schedule. However, the defensive structure of each side shouldn't be slept on, as both teams are allowing less than 16 points per game from their previous five appearances, respectively.
3. Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills
When: Sunday, Jan. 15 at 1 PM ET
Where: Highmark Stadium (New York)
Betting Odds: Bills -9.5, Over/Under 46
If these teams entered Sunday's wild card game with completely healthy squads, it would rival the Cowboys/Bucs game at the top of our list. Unfortunately, Tua Tagovalioa will likely miss the game, and Miami's second-choice QB, Teddy Bridgewater, is also questionable. In the absence of Tua and Bridgewater, the Dolphins achieved just three field goals against the New York Jets last time out, and it's likely the reasoning as to why the betting spread is so high.
However, bettors shouldn't be deterred because +9.5 on the Dolphins is still huge. With that said, Caesars Maryland promo codes in favor of the Bills will be perfect for Baltimore Ravens fans who want to meet their AFC rivals in the next round, should they overcome the Bengals.
The remaining NFL Wild Card Weekend games:
4. New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings
When: Sunday, Jan.15 at 4:30 PM ET
Where: U.S. Bank Stadium (Minnesota)
Betting Odds: Vikings -3, Over/Under 48.5
5. Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
When: Sunday, Jan.15 at 8:15 PM ET
Where: Paycor Stadium (Ohio)
Betting Odds: Bengals -7, Over/Under 42
6. Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
When: Saturday, Jan.14 at 4:30 PM ET
Where: Levi's Stadium (California)
Betting Odds: 49ers -9.5, Over/Under 43