NFL Playoffs 2021 Wildcard Round: Schedule, TV broadcast, prediction & betting odds
Who will advance to the Divisional Round?
The 2021 NFL playoffs are coming up. There are already six exciting games to marvel at in the Wildcard Round.
But traditionally, in the NFL playoffs, they are usually not as clear as games appear at the beginning. It will be all the more interesting to see which top favourites can really prevail in the end.
After all, some Super Bowl favourites are already active in the Wildcard Round. They include the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills.
Super Bowl winner 2021
🏈 Betting Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs
Odds: 3.20
🏈 Betting Prediction: Green Bay Packers
Odds: 5.50
🏈 Betting Prediction: Buffalo Bills
Odds: 7.50
🏈 Betting Prediction: New Orleans Saints
Odds: 8.50
🏈 Betting Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Odds: 10.0
🏈 Betting Prediction: Baltimore Ravens
Odds: 11.0
🏈 Betting Prediction: Seattle Seahawks
Odds: 15.0
🏈 Betting Prediction: Pittsburgh Steelers
Odds: 23.0
🏈 Betting Prediction: Tennessee Titans
Odds: 29.0
🏈 Betting Prediction: LA Rams
Odds: 34.0
🏈 Betting Prediction: Indianapolis Colts
Odds: 51.0
🏈 Betting Prediction: Cleveland Browns
Odds: 61.0
🏈 Betting Prediction: Chicago Bears
Odds: 81.0
🏈 Betting Prediction: Washington Football Team
Odds: 81.0
The schedule of the NFL playoffs 2021
Two teams have directly secured a place in the Divisional Round, while twelve others are fighting for the remaining six tickets. The picture before the NFL playoffs in 2021 can be described like this or something similar.
The two lucky teams this year are the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers.
While the reigning Super Bowl Champion from Missouri had a sovereign 14-2 season in the AFC, the Packers were also superior to the competition in the NFC with a record of 13-3 – if only narrowly.
Thus the following picture emerges in the playoffs.
The NFL Playoffs schedule for the Wildcard Round at a glance
🏈 Sat January 9, 2021, AFC Buffalo Bills – Indianapolis Colts
🏈 Sat January 9, 2021, NFC Seattle Seahawks – LA Rams
🏈 Sun, January 10, 2021, NFC Washington Football Team – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
🏈 Sun. January 10, 2021, AFC Tennessee Titans – Baltimore Ravens
🏈 Sun., January 10, 2021, NFC New Orleans Saints – Chicago Bears
🏈 Mon, Jan 11, 2021, AFC Pittsburgh Steelers – Cleveland Browns
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts Betting Predictions and Odds
One of the absolute top teams of the 2020/21 NFL season is represented in this wildcard duel. The Bills played a strong year, putting a 13-3 record on the lawn. That lets the Bills participate in the playoffs as the AFC’s # 2 seed.
All three defeats occurred in the period between October 14 and November 15, 2020 – a period of six games. The opponents here were the Titans, Chiefs and, surprisingly, the Cardinals.
Since then, the Bills have won six straight wins, including significant wins against the Patriots, Steelers and Dolphins. Especially offensively, things went great in the regular season. The Bills scored 60 touchdowns – only two teams were better.
Bills vs Colts – who wins?
🏈 Betting Prediction: Buffalo Bills
Odds: 1.35
🏈 Betting Prediction: Indianapolis Colts
Odds: 3.10
The defence is meanwhile only to be found in the mediocre and vulnerable, as the Dolphins showed at 56:26.
On the other hand, the Indianapolis Colts just slipped into the playoffs with 11-5. Seeded at # 7, if successful in the Divisional Round, it would go directly against the top-seeded Chiefs.
Both the defensive and the offensive of the Colts barely reached the top 10 in the NFL. Not more but also not less.
After all, Indianapolis recently won four of five games, including none against another playoff participant. Nevertheless, Indy should not be underestimated, as has been proven in the course of the season with victories against the Titans and Packers, among other things.
Seattle Seahawks vs LA Rams Betting Predictions and Odds
The Seahawks go into the game against the Rams (10-6) as favourites with two wins more (12-4).
However, both teams are almost tied on the offensive after the regular season and only differ by a few points or yards.
The former great defensive strength of the Seahawks is no longer available. With 380.6 approved yards per game, the team is 22nd in the NFL. This is the second weakest value among all playoff teams.
Seahawks vs. Rams – who wins?
🏈 Betting Prediction: Seattle Seahawks
Odds: 1.50
🏈 Betting Prediction: LA Rams
Odds: 2.55
It is therefore all the more surprising how clearly the bookmakers assess Seattle’s role as favourites in their NFL betting odds.
In the regular season, Seahawks and Rams met twice and shared the victories among themselves.
Only the home advantage should speak for Seattle, although this is also not available in the usual form due to corona restrictions. In our opinion, the greater the potential for a surprise.
Washington Football Team vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting Predictions and Odds
The Buccaneers are the clear favourites against Washington in the bookmakers’ NFL odds.
The main reason for this, of course, is the strong offensive, which not only includes Tom Brady. The Bucs have scored the third-most points per game so far, but still, have to play away because they only won 11-5 in the end.
Washington vs. Buccaneers – who wins?
🏈 Betting Prediction: Washington Football Team
Odds: 4.25
🏈 Betting Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Odds: 1.23
Against Washington (7-9), which benefited from a disastrous NFC East, that alone should be enough. The defence is also at the top with 22.2 permitted points per game.
The Washington Football Team itself is very strong defensively but does almost nothing offensively.
Only the Bengals, Giants and Jets achieved fewer yards per game. After losing five out of six games at the beginning of the season, they got astonishingly good.
Tennessee Titans vs Baltimore Ravens Betting Predictions and Odds
An exciting game is waiting for the playoff kick-off with Tennessee vs. Baltimore. Both teams go into the game with a record of 11-5 wins and should therefore meet at eye level.
However, there are of course subtle differences between Ravens and Titans. The hosts from Tennessee excel especially on the offensive, where you get the third most yards and the fourth-most points per game.
Titans vs Ravens – who wins?
🏈 Betting Prediction: Tennessee Titans
Odds: 2.55
🏈 Betting Prediction: Baltimore Ravens
Odds: 1.55
The Ravens are nowhere near in the top group in this category. Baltimore’s strengths are on the defensive. The second-fewest points against you can be admired here per game.
The big question is therefore whether the offensive or defensive will prevail in the playoff duel. In the regular season, it went into extra time before the Titans won the game with 30:24. The betting odds are therefore closer together than in any other game.
Chicago Bears vs New Orleans Saints Betting Predictions and Odds
The matter is not too close in the game Bears vs. Saints.
New Orleans is a huge favourite, which is not surprising given the 12-4 record and # 2 seed.
Bears vs. Saints – who wins?
🏈 Betting Prediction: Chicago Bears
Odds: 4.80
🏈 Betting Prediction: New Orleans Saints
Odds: 1.22
The Bears, meanwhile, wobbled 8-8 into the playoffs and lost six of nine games in the second half of the season – including against the Saints. On that November 1st, however, it went into overtime before New Orleans triumphed.
Both defensively and offensively, the Saints are listed in the top 5 in terms of points per game, while the Bears are each in the bottom third.
So little hope of a surprise? Indeed, a Chicago victory would be a sensation.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns Betting Predictions and Odds
Last but not least, the encounter between the Steelers and Browns can be seen early on Monday morning. The fact that the Browns even qualified for the playoffs after years of failure with an 11-5 season is the real sensation.
The Steelers are seeded at # 3 in the AFC after the 12-4 season and were able to look forward to a win in a direct duel in the regular season.
After the clear 38: 7 in the initial phase, however, the game was recently played again on the last main round match day. Here the Browns were just ahead of the game with 24:22.
Steelers vs Browns – who wins?
🏈 Betting Prediction: Pittsburgh Steelers
Odds: 1.37
🏈 Betting Prediction: Cleveland Browns
Odds: 3.20
Statistically, the teams are not far apart offensively, with the Browns even having advantages in terms of yards and points per game.
On the defensive, Pittsburgh is the second-best team in the league with 305.8 yards per game against itself. Cleveland allowed over 50 more yards per game.
Accordingly, Pittsburgh seems ready for its adversary, especially when the Browns’ corona infections are taken into account, which apparently even put the game at risk.
Who will broadcast the 2021 NFL Playoffs?
All games in the NFL playoffs will once again be broadcast by ranNFL in 2021. All live games are running this year in view of the high level of interest in the sport at ProSieben.
However, you can also watch all the games in the Wildcard Round outside of Free TV.
If you are wondering whether your favourite commenter will also be active at ProSieben, we can clarify this question as well.
The NFL Playoffs schedule at a glance
🏈 Buffalo Bills – Indianapolis Colts Esume & Werner
🏈 Seattle Seahawks – LA Rams Spengemann & Motzkus
🏈 Washington Football Team – Tampa Bay Buccaneers Morawe & Schenk
🏈 Tennessee Titans – Baltimore Ravens Plug & Esume
🏈 New Orleans Saints – Chicago Bears Spengemann & Werner
🏈 Pittsburgh Steelers – Cleveland Browns Morawe & Motzkus
Prediction: who will come next in the NFL Playoffs 2021 Wildcard Round?
We expect the Saints, Rams and Buccaneers to win at the start of the NFL playoffs in the NFC.
In this case, the Divisional Round would play # 6 Rams vs. # 1 Packers and # 5 Bucs vs. # 2 Saints. A duel between Brady and Brees should certainly meet with great international interest.
In the AFC we expect the Bills, Ravens and Steelers in the next round. The games would then be quite exciting: # 5 Ravens vs. # 1 Chiefs and # 3 Steelers vs. # 2 Bills.
