Hot Events: Wild Card Weekend Picks

Just like that, the 2024 NFL regular season is in the books. We now kick off Wild Card Weekend as 12 teams take the field to open up the hunt for the Lombardi trophy.

Both the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured their playoff berths last weekend as the rest of the teams had already clinched their spots. The Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs receive their much deserved playoff bye weeks, while 3 AFC and 3 NFC matches take place this weekend. And as always, ubet.io has you covered.

Before diving into the Wild Card breakdown, be sure to put your submissions in for UBET’s first ever 10k NFL Playoff Bracket Challenge!

Do you have a UBET account? Have you wagered over $1,000.00 since joining UBET’s sportsbook? Then check your inbox, we fired over a link for you to make your bracket selections.

Unlike other bracket challenges, you get to make your selections after every round. This gives you a chance to analyze every matchup, key injuries and weigh your odds with each team, each round.

Be sure to get your picks in before Wild Card weekend kicks off this Saturday!

Now, onto the games itself. Use this as a guide, or do the opposite. Either way, here’s your Wild Card Weekend breakdown.

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Houston Texans

The Pick: Los Angeles Chargers -3.5 (+105)

The main thing I’m looking at here is how protected CJ Stroud is, which the answer is not very. Since 2023 Stroud has been sacked 90 times. Houston simply has not looked good as of late. CJ has been under duress all season long, they’ve had a bunch of injuries and haven’t won a game since Week 15. Then you look at the Chargers, who have a great defense and pressure the quarterback. Justin Herbert has been playing great and putting points on the board. LA put up 108 points over their last 3 games to finish off the regular season.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens

The Pick: Baltimore Ravens -9.5 (-116)

Yes, Mike Tomlin’s Steelers have had the Ravens number over the years and even on Week 11 where they edged out Baltimore 18-16. Different story though for Week 16 just before Christmas as the Ravens handled the Steelers 34-17. Russell Wilson has been awful, having trouble hitting 200 passing yards lately and throwing picks. The Steelers have lost their last 4 games, Baltimore has won their last 4, handedly. Two teams headed in different directions, we’ll look for MVP hopeful Lamar Jackson to lead his team to a convincing victory. Also, who’s going to stop Derrick Henry? Nobody.

Denver Broncos vs Buffalo Bills

The Pick: Denver Broncos +8.5 (-108)

This might be the scariest matchup the Bills could have drawn in this Wild Card Weekend. How do you stop MVP front runner Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills? Play great man-to-man defense. And that’s what Denver has. They have the 5th best scoring defense in the league and Patrick Surtain who is a candidate for defensive player of the year.

It’s going to be incredibly hard to win on the road in Buffalo, especially since the Bills haven’t lost a home game this season. That being said, if you're the Bills, do not underestimate this young and hungry Broncos squad. Head coach Sean Payton is no stranger to the postseason as he leads the Broncos in his second year with the team to their first playoff birthday since 2015 where they won the Super Bowl. If rookie breakout QB Bo Nix catches fire, this game will be much closer than the spread offers.

Green Bay Packers vs Philadelphia Eagles

The Pick: Philadelphia Eagles -5.5 (-109)

The Eagles just feel like the better team going into the playoffs and into this matchup. They’re healthier, have been playing great defense and arguably the best running back in the league, MVP candidate Saquon Barkley. The Packers, somewhat sputtering in the last few weeks, also have their weapons. They should be able to keep up on the ground with Josh Jacobs. But with the Eagles locker room seemingly in a good place, the Eagles should be able to handle the Packers.

This play however, is very contingent on the health of both quarterbacks. Both Jalen Hurts (concussion protocol) and Jordan Love (hand) have sustained injuries. Keep an eye out for their availability headed into Sunday.

Washington Commanders vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -3.5 (-101)

It’s a tough one but we’ll have to lean with an experienced Baker Mayfield who had his way with the Commanders in Week 1 of the regular season. Baker has a couple playoff wins under his belt and the Bucs have an established run game. If the Commanders are going to have a chance, Jaden Daniels is going to have to keep up with Baker’s offensive output, which will be tough for the star rookie. Washington also doesn’t have an established run game quite like Tampa does with Bucky Irving and Rashaad White. Plus you add the playoff pedigree of players like Mike Evans, fresh off his 11th straight 1,000 yard season, the Bucs should be able to hold off the Commanders at home.

Minnesota Vikings vs Los Angeles Rams

HOT BET: Rams Moneyline + Kyren Williams Anytime Touchdown (+390)

Let’s not forget Week 8 where the Rams handed the Vikings one of their 3 losses this season. Byron Young, Braden Fiske and rookie Jared Verse are licking their chops at another chance to shut down Sam Darnold in his playoff debut. Aside from the final week of the regular season the Rams have held their opponents to a total of 24 points over 3 games. If they can shut down the Vikings like the Lions did in the red zone, they stand a good chance at taking this at home. Let’s see if Cooper Kupp can get more involved and if Darnold can get back on the same page with Justin Jefferson.

As for our touchdown scorer, Kyren Williams has been automatic in the red zone as he had a total of 16 touchdowns over the course of the season. Even though Minnesota’s red zone defense has been good, they were picked apart by Jahmyr Gibbs in the final week of the regular season as he tallied a jaw-dropping 4 touchdowns in a blowout win for the Lions. Look for McVay to lean on Kyren to find paydirt on Monday.