NFL Wild Card Super Computer Picks

After 17 weeks of regular season NFL action, the playoffs are finally here and only 12 teams remain. Wild Card weekend is often one of the most entertaining two day stretches in sports, and this year’s edition couldn’t be more difficult to handicap. Luckily for you, the OddsShark Super Computer has compiled all the relevant data to come up with predictions for this weekend’s game.

If you prefer the human element, check out the best bets from Team OddsShark members Joe Ostrowski and David Fucillo in the video above. 

Home Field Advantage Expected to Make a Difference

Despite several road teams favored to win this weekend, the computer likes three out of the four home teams to emerge victorious—the Texans, Bengals and Redskins.

The computer predicts a 22.6 - 16.8 victory for the Texans over the Chiefs on Saturday. The Texans enter the game on a three game win streak, and despite a Week 1 home loss to Kansas City, the computer sees JJ Watt and company shutting down the KC offense. Houston was strong at home in the second half of the season, winning four out of five with a winning margin of 15.75. The computer expects the game to go UNDER the Sportsbook total of 41.

Over the last few weeks of the season, the Steelers were labelled as the team that no one wants to play, but the computer disagrees, picking the underdog Bengals to win 30.3 – 17.2. The teams split their series this season, but Pittsburgh was mediocre and inconsistent on the road, going 4-4 SU and 4-3-1 ATS. Expecting lots of points in a Steelers game has become the norm, and the computer agrees, predicting the game to go OVER the Sportsbook total of 45.5.

In the final game of the weekend, and perhaps the hardest game to predict, the computer has the Redskins handing the Packers a 29.3 – 15.8 loss. The Packers haven’t quite been themselves this season and will be in tough vs a Redskins team that’s won six out of their last seven home games. Kirk Cousins has been giving opposing defenses nightmares, as he’s thrown 11 touchdowns and 0 interceptions over the last three weeks. The computer projects the game going UNDER the Sportsbook total of 47.

Seahawks Expected to Continue Road Winning Streak

The one road favorite that the computer is siding with is the biggest favorite of the week, the Seahawks, who the computer predicts will beat the Vikings 26.7 – 18.2. Seattle dominated down the stretch, winning six of their final seven games, including a 38-7 beatdown of the Vikings in Minnesota. Playing outside of Seattle hasn’t been an issue for the Seahawks as they’ve now won five road games in a row.

The NFC North Champion Vikings finished the season strong with three straight wins, but performed poorly vs high caliber competition this season, going 1-3 vs other NFC playoff teams. 

With Russell Wilson and company expected to be on their game, the computer sees this matchup going OVER the Sportsbook total of 42.