NFL Conference Championship 2024 Straight Up Picks

NFL 2021-22 Conference Championship Round SU Betting Analysis & Picks

This was a new year in the NFL with a different schedule and more teams in the playoffs. On Wild Card weekend, we did not see that many good games. Well, things certainly changed into the divisional round as we had four amazing games, arguably the best game on Sunday night. Let’s take a look at our NFL Playoffs Betting analysis for the upcoming games of the Conference Championship round.

Conference Round Straight-Up Picks for the 2021-22 Season | NFL Betting

Divisional Round Quick Recap

We are only hoping for another good week of football in the conference championships. 

In the divisional round, three of four home teams lost. The Cincinnati Bengals won on a last-second field goal against the Tennessee Titans. The San Francisco 49ers won on a last-second field goal against the Green Bay Packers.

The trend continued in the first matchup Sunday, with the Los Angeles Rams beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a last-second field goal. The Buffalo Bills were 13 seconds away from beating the Kansas City Chiefs, but the rest is history. 

This week in our conference championships, we have four teams looking to make yet another appearance in the Super Bowl. From the AFC, we have the Cincinnati Bengals traveling to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. From the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers are traveling to take on the Los Angeles Rams. 

AFC Championship

This is the fourth straight year of the Kansas City Chiefs playing in the AFC Championship game. They have won the last two and have one Super Bowl Championship to show for it.

The first game of this run ended in an overtime loss to the New England Patriots. Last year they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The last time the Cincinnati Bengals were in the AFC Championship was in 1989. That season they beat the Buffalo Bills and advanced to the Super Bowl.

Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase have led the Bengals through an incredible season this year. The Bengals also have a 1,000+ yard rusher with Joe Mixon.

The lines are open on the conference championship games, and the Kansas City Chiefs open up at seven-point favorites. With the way last week ended, a seven-point spread is very tough for the Cincinnati Bengals to cover. Looking at this game straight up, it will be hard to bet against the Chiefs based on their success in the last few years and this season. 

NFC Championship

The second game of the day on Sunday is the NFC Championship game. It is a Week 18 rematch between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams.

The 49ers came back to beat the Rams in overtime in Week 18 to get into the playoffs. What a turnaround that would be for the 49ers. 

In Week 18, what was actually a road game seemed like a home game for San Francisco. SoFi Stadium was filled with red and 49ers fans. They are hoping for more of the same this week.

The 49ers have played spoiler two weeks in a row, knocking off the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers at home. They are looking to make it a perfect 3-0 road trip in the playoffs this week against their division rivals. 

The Los Angeles Rams are looking to host the Super Bowl in a few weeks when the game is kicked off at SoFi Stadium. They would have the chance to make it back-to-back years where the host team won a Super Bowl in their own stadium. The Rams are a totally different team with Matthew Stafford at quarterback. 

The Rams are 3.5 point favorites in the spread for this game. In a straight-up pick, Los Angeles is the team to pick. Jimmy Garappolo has made too many mistakes this postseason, ones that could have had the 49ers eliminated. If he makes mistakes this week, the Rams will put them away and be headed to the Super Bowl. 

Previous Betting News

It is no secret that the Carolina Panthers are an offense-first team and the majority of their wins in the NFL lines this season have come as a result of their NFL-best offense. It is also no secret that the Arizona Cardinals finished the regular season ranked second-best in the offense, though Carson Palmer and his unit have been less-than stellar in their last two games. So what does all that mean for bettors looking to wager on the Cardinals @ Panthers NFC Championship clash on Saturday, January 24 (6:40 PM ET, CBS) at the Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte? Will Arizona get hot and find a way of outlasting Carolina, or will the Panthers continue in their red-hot offensive ways?Read on as we break down all that in the Moneyline (SU) NFL odds preview prepared for you below.

2016 NFC Conference Championship Moneyline Odds Preview

What: Arizona Cardinals (13-3) at Carolina Panthers (15-1) When: Sunday, January 24, 2016 Kickoff: 6:40 PM ET Where: Charlotte, NC Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Spread: Panthers -3 Moneyline: Arizona +148 vs Carolina -168 Game Total: 47

Why Bet on the Cardinals (+145)

The last time the Cardinals faced the Panthers was in last year’s wild-card weekend, a game the Panthers won comfortably before getting knocked out in the divisional round by the Seahawks. A lot has happened since then, with the Panthers particularly playing arguably the best football in their franchise history. That said, the Cards haven’t been far behind in terms of improvement. Offensively, the Cardinals ended their regular season ranked first in the NFL in total yards, second in scoring offense and second in defending the run per DVOA. With such elements, Palmer and his stellar offensive weapons should be up to the task against Carolina’s defense that finished the regular season allowing 322.9 yards per game. Meanwhile, Arizona’s solid ability to stop the run will additionally make life difficult for Cam Newton and his backfield that loves to pound the ground. Added to the motivation of going 5-0 SU in their last five road games, you should be careful about writing off the Cardinals from pulling an upset this weekend. After all, the Cardinals lost just once on the road in the regular season, underlining the road-solid pedigree they bring into this tough but winnable matchup.

Why Bet on the Panthers (-165)

Going by the way they played against the Seahawks, you’d definitely agree that the Panthers are probably the most balanced unit in this year’s playoffs. Their first-half performance was as good as you get from a Championship team, as both the offense and defense showed poise and efficiency to take a commanding 31-0 halftime lead. And even when the Seahawks inevitably attempted a comeback in garbage time, the defense kept a cool head to see out a crucial win for the home team. Mind you, that was a 12 straight home win for the Panthers (including a 9-0 record this season). And then, there is elevated play of Newton (who combined for an NFL-best 45 TDs in the regular season), giving the Panthers a lot of mobility and offensive options. Newton wasn’t dominating with his passing game against Seattle’ Legion of Boom, as he finished just 16-of-22 for 161 yards and a touchdown. He, however, made the right plays and linked well with his runners, who combined for 144 yards and two touchdowns, led by Jonathan Stewart’ 106-yard, two-touchdown performance on just 19 carries. You can therefore expect this multi-talented Carolina offense to cause all kinds of problems to Arizona’s blitz-happy defense. On the other side of the ball, the Panthers’ improved defense (ranked No. 6 in scoring defense and No. 1 in forced turnovers during the regular season) should be more than capable of keeping the Cardinals off-balance.

Prediction and My Moneyline Pick

Carolina (12-0 SU and 8-4 ATS in its last 12 home games) rubberstamps its Super Bowl 50 credentials with a thrilling 13th straight win in Charlotte.

My SU (Moneyline) Pick: Carolina (-165).