The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals will have their rematch two weeks after Bills’ Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest at their last game.  However, this time they’ll be playing in the AFC Divisional Round games for the 2023 NFL playoffs. Cincinnati pulled through a challenging game against the Raven last Sunday night, where they won 17-24. While Buffalo also went through a gruelling game at their home against the Miami Dolphins to win 31-34 This would be the second time these teams are meeting again after Hamlin’s collapse and there’s no doubt that fans are waiting to see how the game turns out, as the Bills and Bengals have unfinished business from their Week 17 regular season game. MatchPlug brings you analysis and the best NFL Predictions this week surrounding the anticipated Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals game. Read: NFL Divisional Round Predictions: San Francisco 49ers vs Dallas Cowboys Predictions and Betting Preview for Buffalo Bills VS Cincinnati Bengals AFC Divisional Round Game Venue: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York  When: Sunday, January 22nd, 2023 Time: 12:00 GMT Teams to play: Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals  NFL Expert Picks: UNDER 48.5 Odds by BetMGM and 1XBet. Betting On The Buffalo Bills Season record: 14-3 (AFC East Champion – 2nd seed AFC) 1XBet Spread: -5.5 1XBet Moneyline: 1.41 1XBet Over/Under: Under 48.5 BetMGM Spread: -6 BetMGM Moneyline: 1.40 BetMGM Over/Under: Under 49 The Buffalo Bills had some challenges during their Wild Card game against the Miami Dolphins and now they’ll be facing the Bengals in a more challenging matchup. Head coach, Sean McDermott should be worried that his team still can’t secure the ball, the Dolphins was the second team to score at least 300 points against the Bills this season. In the regular season the Buffalo Bills were gone third-most turnover-prone offense with 27 turnovers, a trend the carried in their game with Miami, when they lost it three times to the Dolphins. They also recorded four fumbles. Josh Allen was responsible for three losses, he threw two interception passes for the sixth time this season’s and lost another fumble. Buffalo are ranking 11th in that NFL with 24 fumbles recovered. The Cincinnati Bengals’ defense started playing well since the second half of the regular season which could be another issue for the Bills to deal with on Sunday. If Allen and his group can’t hold on to the ball, Joe Burrow will lean heavily towards using it to destabilise them.  On the part of their defense, the Bills played well against Miami, even they didn’t do much about the Dolphins’ loose balls. They forfeited 231 total yards and intercepted Skylar Grey twice and on third down, they dropped the Dolphins to a 4-16 mark. 27 fumbles saved, fourth most in the League, Buffalo’s defense ended the season in the Top-10 for throws and top defense for categories for rushing. They also earned second place in the NFL for efficiency in the red zone by allowing TDs on only 45.9% of opponents trips. Betting On The Cincinnati Bengals Season record: 13-4 (AFC North Champion – 3rd seed AFC) 1XBet Spread: +5.5 1XBet Moneyline: 2.975 1XBet Over/Under: Over 48.5 BetMGM Spread: +6 BetMGM Moneyline: 3.00 BetMGM Over/Under: Over 49 Cincinnati is one step closer to  becoming American Conference Champions again, only this time they’ll find this game tougher than what they found the Wild Card round. Thanks to St.Hubbard’s defense play, who returned a loose ball 98 yards to the end zone, saving the Bengals from loosing their playoff spot to the Baltimore Ravens who fought fiercely in Lamar Jackson’s absence. Cincinnati only mustered 234 total yards against an ironclad Ravens defense, which raises some concern for their game against the Bills who have a great defense too. Joe Burrow who was intercepted four times against the Ravens, will again have low protection due to injuries to key players on the Bengals offensive line. Burrow will need the Bengals ground defense to show up against the Bills. Burrow has consistently proven himself a worthy quarterback by showing up in crucial moments, and during this campaign he led a team that closed the regular round with 8 successive victories. The Bengals’ offense was one of the best ones in the league in terms of passes, and ranked fifth best in the red zone with 64.9% efficiency.  Their defense finished top 10 in the league, conceding 18 points or lower in four out of their last six games. On the ground they were the seventh team that conceded the fewest total yards and fourth team that allowed that lowest TDs. MatchPlug Prediction This matchup between the Bills and the Bengals are between two of Super Bowl favourites. Over the course of the season, both teams proved that they deserve a spot at the top of the NFL and they have a talented team that can win the league. Unluckily for these two top teams, one of them has to lose the competition because they can’t keep up with the magnitude of attack this game needs.  Both defenses are among the best in the circuit, but they’ll each face Joe Burrow and Josh Allen, two players who are among the top five quarterbacks in the NFL, who threw 35 touchdowns each during the regular round. With both teams being somewhat evenly matched, the team that has the lowest slip ups, will have an edge ahead in the game. Burrow will try to evade being caught, Allen will battle constant turnovers. In this game, home field advantage won’t be much of a deciding factor, not minding the fact that Bills played for 7-1 at home. Cincinnati too performed exceptionally well at home with a 6-3 record. One important thing to note for this game is in the past 10 games these teams played, the Over had a 7-3 record. Related NFL Match Previews: NFL Divisional Round Predictions: Kansas City Chiefs VS Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Divisional Round Predictions: Philadelphia Eagles VS New York Giants

The Philadelphia Eagles Vs New York Giants playing against each other in the NFC Divisional Round games will reopen a rivalry in the NFC East, as they battle for a spot in the NFL playoffs’ second round in 2023. Last weekend, the New York Giants pulled off an upset in the Wild Card round after beating the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 on the road, while Philadelphia Eagles replenished themselves after ending the regular round with the best record in the NFC. New York and Philadelphia met a few times during the regular round, with the Eagles winning both games. Without wasting any more time, MatchPlug presents a preview and NFL Predictions for the Eagles VS Giants’ Divisional Round match.  Read: NFL Divisional Round Predictions: Kansas City Chiefs VS Jacksonville Jaguars Predictions and Betting Preview for Philadelphia Eagles VS New York Giants NFC Divisional Round Game Venue: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennslyvania When: Saturday, January 21, 2023 Time: 17:15 GMT Teams to play: Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants  NFL Picks: UNDER 47.5 Odds by BetMGM and 1XBet. Betting On The Philadelphia Eagles Season record: 14-3 (NFC East Champion – 1st seed NFC) 1XBet Spread: -7.5 1XBet Moneyline: 1.26 1XBet Over/Under: Under 47.5 BetMGM Spread: -7.5 BetMGM Moneyline: 1.26 BetMGM Over/Under: Under 48.5 During the last week of the NFL regular round, the Philadelphia Eagles marked one of their best seasons by winning the NFC East title and the title of the best team in the National Conference. Quarterback Jalen Hurts returned to play for his team, after missing two games that the Eagles lost, and to revive Philadelphia’s offense. Hurts who runs for 700 yards, scores 13 times, throws over 3,700 yards and 33 touchdowns, was certainly missed on the Eagles’ frontlines. The Giants will find him a problem, mainly because their ground defense is ridden with many issues. The Eagles’ offense is feared because all their lines are balanced, which was what earned them second place with the second most points scored. In passes, their net yards gained per pass were the third-best average with 7.1. No team scored more times on the ground than them with 31, they registered 90 penalties and were fourth in efficiency inside the red zone with 67.8%. Furthermore, Philadelphia’s defense is as strong as its offense, and their opponents have gained over 350 total yards against them on only three occasions, and a single game of over 400. They were also the team that allowed the lowest total passing yards in the season and they had the most sacks with 70. Philadelphia’s weak point however is that they finished a little above league average by stopping the ground attack, which is the Giants’ attacking weapon, that New York couldn’t capitalize on in the regular round. Betting On The New York Giants Season record: 10 -7 (2nd wild card – 6th NFC seed) 1XBet Spread: -7.5 1XBet Moneyline: 3.94 1XBet Over/Under: Over 47.5 BetMGM Spread: -7.5 BetMGM Moneyline: 4.00 BetMGM Over/Under: Over 48.5 After defeating the Minnesota Vikings in their first postseason game since the Super Bowl XLVI win over the Patriots, the New York Giants will find it difficult to start a winning streak when they play the Eagles. They looked good in Minnesota, but today they’ll need to play better than they did last week if they want to win against the same opponents that dealt with them the two times they met this year. New York could defeat the Vikings because of Daniel Jones’ impressive work. Under the guidance of head coach Brian Daboll, Jones is having the best campaign he has ever had in his career. The quarterback threw for 301 yards, two touchdown passes, no interceptions, and 78 rushing yards, while Minnesota had one of the worst defenses in the season. Jones spearheaded the attack on the Vikings, for New York which only scored 30 points all year. Complementing Jones’ offense was Saquon Barkley’s two touchdown runs and a defense that stopped one of the NFL’s best offense. The New York Giants will need to bring this energy or higher when they go toe-to-toe with Jalen Hurts and his Crew. On the defense side, New York had one of the worst defenses in the NFL, in terms of stopping the ground game, and the Philadelphia Eagles know this weak spot. In the late two regular season games they played with the Giants, they gained 335 total yards, and seven touchdowns, five of which came on carries using this strategy. New York’s defense is a secret the Eagles used throughout the season and if they do want to advance, even Jones and his offense can’t stop them if they don’t get their defense players in line. MatchPlug Prediction NFL Predictions this week say that the New York Giants are adept in postseason surprises and won six of their last seven away games in the playoffs for a good reason. The thing now, however, is that New York couldn’t answer all the defeats they faced from the Eagles during the regular season round. The Giants were outmatched in every area, even in the Eagles’ weak areas, who came to the game rested for the week and with a 7-2 record. After the prowess Daniel Jones showed against the Vikings, there is a chance that he’ll have another good game. But it remains to be seen if it’ll be enough to give the Giants’ defense a good advantage. Everything comes down to Jalen Hurts who is the powerhouse of the Eagles. If Hurts plays well in today’s game as he has been doing for most of the season, he could hurt the New York Giants’ defense. There is a reason why Philadelphia scored fewer than 20 points only once under his watch.

The 2023 NFL Playoffs resume this weekend with the AFC Divisional Round and an intriguing match between the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars opens the tournament. Jacksonville won its Wild Card clash over the LA Chargers, while Kansas scaled through after they were seeded first in the American Conference. It should be noted that these teams met in Week 10 of this season, with the Chiefs winning 17-27. To keep the excitement going, MatchPlug brings you a preview of the Chiefs and Jaguars’ game and some of the best NFL Predictions Today surrounding this matchup. Related: NFL Divisional Round Predictions: Philadelphia Eagles VS New York Giants Predictions and Betting Preview for Kansas City Chiefs VS Jacksonville Jaguars AFC Divisional Round Venue: GEHA Field At Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri. When: Saturday, January 21, 2023 Time: 13:30 GMT Teams to play: Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Picks: UNDER 52.5 Odds provided by 1XBet and BetMGM. Betting On The Kansas City Chiefs Regular Season Record: 14-3 (AFC West Champion – AFC 1st seed ) 1XBet Spread: -9.5 1XBet Moneyline: 1.21 1XBet Over/Under: Under 52.5 BetMGM Spread: -9.5 BetMGM Moneyline: 1.20 BetMGM Over/Under: Under 53 The Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills game being postponed gave the Kansas City Chiefs the opening they needed to win and begin the NFL postseason 2023 campaign rested; playing in their home field. By securing the top record in the American Conference, the Chiefs could watch the AFC Wild Card games from home, including the matchup featuring the Jaguars who are struggling. This season, the Chiefs already won Jacksonville, thanks to Patrick Mahomes who recorded one out of his three games with 4 touchdown passes on the season and completed 74.29% of his passes, which is his third-best percentage of the year. Given Mahomes’ performance, the quarterback will again be the centre of attention for the Chiefs, a squad with the best offense in the NFL, which would be facing a defense that struggled a lot in defending against the pass. In addition to leading the NFL in points scored (496), Kansas City was also the only team that surpassed 7,000 total yards (7,032) and no offense had better figures than them in average yards per play (6.4), first downs gained (408), passing yards (5,062) and passing TDs (41). When it came to halting the ground attack, Andy Reid’s team were impressive. But, they’d need to be at the top of their game when playing Trevor Lawrence who would come to play with the confidence he took to his outstanding second half against the Chargers. Lawrence knows that the Chiefs were the team with the most conceded touchdown passes on the year (33). Betting On The Jacksonville Jaguars Regular Season Record: 10-8 (AFC South Champion – 4th AFC seed) 1XBet Spread: +9.5 1XBet Moneyline: 4.42 1XBet Over/Under: Over 52.5 BetMGM Spread: +9.5 BetMGM Moneyline: 4.75 BetMGM Over/Under: Over 53 Jacksonville Jaguars is still upholding their outstanding season, especially after defeating the Chargers 27-0, pulling off the third-largest comeback in postseason history. The Jaguars overcame the four interceptions thrown by Trevor Lawrence in the first half of the game and today they’d be facing the Chiefs who are one of the favourites to win the Super Bowl and their biggest challenge of the year. Doug Pederson’s leadership and skills showed in Jacksonville’s win, as he kept his men calm after five turnovers and led them as the first to win a postseason game with a -5 margin in turnovers. After halftime, Lawrence and Jacksonville turned into something else, giving up only three points to the Chargers offense who had become distracted by mistakes the Jaguars made in the first half. While Lawrence gained 273 passing yards, Justin Herbert was intercepted three times and reached the end zone only once. Trevor Lawrence was awakened after pulling off a strong defensive performance. He put down four touchdown passes and got an all-important two-point conversion to give the Jaguars the lead with a field goal as the game time expired. For today’s game, the Jaguars are expected to be more ferocious towards the Chiefs than they were toward the Chargers. Kansas City might have the best offense in the league, but they’d test a Jaguars secondary that battled against Herbert and was the least efficient team in the NFL in defending the pass. Note that the Jaguars’ quarterback threw for 331 yards, four touchdown passes, and one interception against Mahomes and the Chiefs this season. MatchPlug Prediction Anything can happen during the postseason and after what they did to the Chargers last weekend, Jacksonville Jaguars proved this point. But it is also apparent that a team can’t make the same mistake twice, especially if they are playing against the Chiefs who had the best record in the conference and a 7-1 mark at home after losing to the Buffalo Bills. Lawrence can throw off Kansas City’s secondary, but can he go head-to-head with Mahomes? Patrick Mahomes is said to be the best in the league and has already humiliated Jacksonville’s defense this year. NFL Predictions say that there is no factor that indicates that today’s game will turn out differently, so the Jaguars must be proactive and score enough touchdowns to trouble Mahomes, who threw 12 interceptions despite being the lead as an MVP candidate.

The NFC Wild Card second game for the 2023 NFL postseason is Minnesota Vikings VS New York Giants which will happen on Sunday. This game is a meeting between two evenly matched-teams. After their five-campaign absence and attaining the NFC’s second wild card, the New York has returned to the postseason. Minnesota on the other hand finished as champion of the NFC North and fought until the last weeks to attain the best record in the National Conference. These teams played during the regular round, resulting in a 24-27 victory for Minnesota. Here at MatchPlug, we bring you the best NFL Predictions this week for the Vikings vs Giants. Predictions and Betting Preview for Minnesota Vikings VS New York Giants NFC Wild Card Game Venue: US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota When: Sunday, January 15, 2023 Time: 13:30 GMT Teams to play: Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants NFL Picks: Moneyline 1.62 Odds are seen on BetMGM and 1XBet Betting On The Minnesota Vikings Regular Season Record: 13-4 (NFC North Champion – 3rd seed NFC) BetMGM Spread: -3 BetMGM Moneyline: 1.62 BetMGM Over/Under: Under 48 1XBet Spread: -1.5 1XBet Moneyline: 1.64 1XBet Over/Under: Under 48.5 Minnesota Vikings started the campaign as the major favourites to sack the Greenbay Packers in the NFC North, and they really did do it. Securing 8 wins in the first 9 games, including the first week’s game versus Greenbay, the Vikings made their way to the top of the group. For the postseason, expectations for this team are divided because while they have a strong aerial offense, their defense finished the regular season as one of the worst in the championship. They were defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs. Minnesota finally allowed 427 points to its opponents, which is the 3rd highest total in the league, and 6,608 total yards were the 2nd highest total yards allowed by any of the NFL defenses. The Vikings were performing poorly in both passes and rushes, finishing in the top 5 worst defenses against the pass, and in the top 10 worst teams in stopping opposing runs. They were also the second team with the most penalties (111), tied with the Giants. On Minnesota’s offensive side, things changed rapidly. The Vikings reached the postseason because of the aerial display developed by Kirk Cousings, Justin Jefferson, and Adam Thielen. The team was 3rd in attempted passes (672), 4th in aerial touchdowns (30), and 6th in total yards through passes (4.484). They also ranked 8th in points scored and in red zone efficiency too. Betting On The New York Giants Regular Season Record: 9-7-1 (2nd wild card – 6th NFC seed) BetMGM Spread: +3 BetMGM Moneyline: 2.35 BetMGM Over/Under: Over 48 1XBet Spread: +1.5 1XBet Moneyline: 2.275 1XBet Over/Under: Over 48.5 The New York Giants making it to the postseason is considered one of the pleasant surprises of the NFL regular round. This is so because New York finished last year with only four wins with Brian Daboll a head coach who had lots of talent but was experiencing his first time in this position. In spite of this, the Giants didn’t falter in a complicated NFC East, that at some point had all four teams in the playoffs. Even with a lack of impressive numbers, these players found a way to win their games. 8 of their 9 wins were accomplished by 8 points or lower. New York’s offensive side improved by one main factor which was Daniel Jones’ development. Jones had his best season yet since joining the NFL in 2019. He led the team to have the second-lowest amount of turnovers with just 16. But, the heart and soul of this team’s offense is the ground game led by Saquon Barkley, who helped Giants finish 4th in total rushing yards (2,519) and touchdowns (21). They also finished 5th in average yards per carry (4.8). A look at New York’s defense and their team records shows why most of their games were tightly contested. By conceding 371 points, the Giants ranked 17th in the league. Yet, they were positioned 5th as the best team defending on third downs and inside the red zone with 35.1% and 49.2% efficiencies, respectively. To get some good results, the Giants’ secondary must have a good game, because they were one of the circuit’s worst teams in terms of stopping ground attacks. They also conceded the second-highest average of yards per carry in the NFL and the sixth-highest total rushing yards. In defending the pass, they ranked 14th in total yards per carry, and the 21 TDs conceded were the ninth-best total in the league. MatchPlug Prediction The Minnesota Vikings have a disastrous defense, but the good thing is that the New York Giants’ defense is not very powerful, and they can be inconsistent sometimes. This fact is vital when you note that Minnesota scores lots of points. The team scored fewer than 23 points only 3 times this campaign, and in their first game against the Giants, they gained over 350 total yards. Another advantage the Vikings have is that they are basically unbeatable at home. This year, they only lost one game out of the nine games they played, and it was to the Dallas Cowboys. New York, scored a 3-4 record playing as visitors, including two losses in their past two away games. Final Prediction: Vikings to win (NY 26 – MIN 29) Related Articles: NFL Week 18 Predictions: Buffalo Bills VS Miami Dolphins NFL Week 18 Predictions: Jacksonville Jaguars Vs Los Angeles Chargers NFL Week 18 Predictions: Buffalo Bills VS Miami Dolphins

The National Football League’s AFC Wild Card week of the 2023 NFL postseason features matchups between two teams in the same division, and of those matches is Buffalo Bills VS Miami Dolphins which is happening on Sunday. Miami in a close matchup, defeated the New York Jets, while the New England Patriots lost to the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins advanced as the third wild card to the American Conference. While Buffalo brought together its title as AFC East Champion with seven consecutive wins. To get you started off and show you what to expect, these are some NFL Predictions this week for the Bills and Dolphins, brought to you by MatchPlug. Read: Chicago Bears Become No.1 Overall Pick In 2023 NFL Draft. Predictions and Betting Preview for Buffalo Bills VS Miami Dolphins AFC Wild Card Game Venue: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York. When: Sunday, January 15, 2023 Time: 10:00 GMT Teams to play: Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins NFL Picks: Spread -13.5 Odds provided by 1XBet and BetMGM. Betting On The Buffalo Bills Season Record: 13-3 (AFC East Champion – 2nd seed AFC) BetMGM Spread: -13.5 BetMGM Moneyline: 1.10 BetMGM Over/Under: Under 43.5 1XBet Spread: -13.5 1XBet Moneyline: 1.11 1XBet Over/Under: Under 43.5 Buffalo entered the postseason as AFC East champions for the third consecutive campaign and this time they did so as one of the top 3 favourites to win the Super Bowl. No matter, that they had a rough start, the Bills concluded the regular season with a 13-3 record on the strength of 8 consecutive wins and the weight of not playing against the Bengals because of Damar Hamlin’s accident. Hamlin’s accident prevented them from securing the first place in the American Conference that they had held up until the accident. The Bills’ offense’s main weapon is Josh Allen’s aerial game. This was the same play that led them to second position in points scored (455), first downs gained (367) and touchdown passes completed (35). On the ground, they have 5.2 yards per rush, which is the second-best number in the entire circuit, which makes them more dangerous than Miami. Buffalo’s defense is equally as strong as their offense. As a matter of fact, their 286 points conceded are the second-fewest in the NFL, and they were second in the league for opponent touchdowns allowed in the red zone with just 44.9% of opportunities. One area, however, that the Bills might need improvement on before their game with the Dolphins is their pass defense. Here, they managed to finish as the top 15 in the league in total yards and touchdowns allowed. They were also one of the top 7 teams against their ground attack and fourth in recovered fumbles with 27. Betting On The Miami Dolphins Season record: 9-8 (3rd wild card – 7th AFC seed) BetMGM Spread: +13.5 BetMGM Moneyline: 7.25 BetMGM Over/Under: Over 43.5 1XBet Spread: +13.5 1XBet Moneyline: 6.6 1XBet Over/Under: Over 43.5 The Dolphins fought their way to the postseason after doing so well in the first half of the season and later performing poorly in the second half with five consecutive losses. Due to multiple injuries to Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater, Miami’s powerful offense, couldn’t get on track for many defining moments. One such moment was in three of the last 6 games of the season when they couldn’t score past 17 points. But, thanks to their impressive early records, the Dolphins finished the year 4th in total yards (3,992) and TD passes (27) in the league. For Sunday’s game, it is important that Miami’s attack route is effective. It is vital to note that they were the 8th team with the fewest yards gained on the ground and scored only 12 rushing touchdowns. The main issue is that they might depend solely on running backs, as it isn’t clear if Tagovailoa will be cleared to play against Buffalo or if Bridgewater’s right-hand finger soreness will be fully healed. On the defense side, things are looking up, since the Dolphins’ ground defense is great; however, they are one of the worst in the NFL regarding passes. This is bad news for a secondary that forfeited the 6th most passing yards (3,992) and the 7th most touchdown passes (27) and now must be tested against one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Regarding the ground game, Miami’s 103.1 yards allowed per game and 4.1 allowed per carry were the NFL’s 4th best figures. Similarly, they allowed only 15 touchdowns, while the opponent scored 98 first downs, this is the 6th lowest number in the whole circuit. MatchPlug Prediction Although the Dolphins shared honours with the Bills this season, losing only three points in the match they lost, it is likely that this Sunday might be the first time they’ll face Buffalo without Tua Tagovailoa. That quarterback is the major factor why Miami ranked as one of the circuit’s best passing offenses, and without him leading the squad, the match looks uneven. In the last game, Buffalo finished with 446 total yards and 32 points against a weak Dolphins secondary, as Miami only stayed in the game because of Tua’s passion. Without him, the Bills’ defense should have a peaceful game. On this note, it can also be added that Miami left a 3-6 record on the road, while Buffalo finished with a 6-1 record at home. The Dolphins have a 3-7-1 record playing against the spread in their last 11 meetings in Buffalo. NFL Picks for free for Bills VS Dolphins can be found on BetMGM or 1XBet. Final Prediction: Buffalo Bills spread (MIA 17 – BUF 30). Similar Previews NFL Week 18 Predictions: San Francisco 49ers VS Seattle Seahawks NFL Week 18 Predictions: Jacksonville Jaguars Vs Los Angeles Chargers

Jacksonville Jaguars VS Los Angeles Chargers is a game that features two of the 2023 NFL postseason pleasant surprises, who will be facing off in the first Wild Card game of the American Conference. After a challenging first half, the Chargers won five of their last 7 games to earn the AFC Wild Card, while the Jaguars made an epic comeback by winning 7 of their last 9 games to lead the AFC South. MatchPlug brings you the best preview and NFL Predictions this week for this matchup between the Jaguars and Chargers. NFL News: Chicago Bears Become No.1 Overall Pick In 2023 NFL Draft Predictions and Betting Preview for Jacksonville Jaguars VS Los Angeles AFC Wild Card Game Venue: TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida When: Saturday, January 14, 2023 Time: 17:15 GMT Teams to play: Jacksonville Jaguars VS Los Angeles Chargers NFL Picks: Over 1.70 Odds by BetMGM and 1XBet. Betting On The Jacksonville Jaguars Season Record: 9-8 (AFC South Champion – 4th seed AFC) BetMGM Spread: +2.5 BetMGM Moneyline: 2.20 BetMGM Over/Under: Under 47.5 1XBet Spread: +2.5 1XBet Moneyline: 2.1 1XBet Over/Under: Under 47.5 The Jacksonville Jaguars qualified for first place in the AFC South after securing 5 straight victories. Doug Pederson gracing the Jaguars’ bench might have signified a before and after in the team’s history and this feat may the first of Pederson’s legacies. Jacksonville hoped to escape being last place in their division after entering their “bye week” with a 3-7 record after losing to Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10. But, the team reversed their negative trend thanks to quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne for guiding a balanced offense. This team ended the campaign with an average of 5.7 yards gainerd per play, 7th best in the league, and its offensive line had the 5th fewest quarterback sacks with only 28. Furthermore, they ranked among the top 15 offenses regarding total rushing and passing yards, including rushing and passing touchdowns. In terms of defense, the Jaguars also balanced and in the past three weeks, their opponents only scored 22 points against team. They are strong on the field and have a knack for inflicting losses on opponents; despite often struggling with passes, which is not good if they are playing Justin Herbert. For this season’s campaign, they emerged as 4th in turnovers with 22 and second in fumbles recovered with 13; one was last Saturday against the Titans in the fourth period, when they went all the way to the end zone to win the match. Betting On The Los Angeles Chargers Season record: 10 -7 (1st wild card – 5th AFC seed) BetMGM Spread: -2.5 BetMGM Moneyline: 1.70 BetMGM Over/Under: Over 47.5 1XBet Spread: -2.5 1XBet Moneyline: 1.75 1XBet Over/Under: Over 47.5 During the season’s second half, the Los Angeles Chargers put their inconsistencies aside and became the first wild card in the American Conference, and one of the hottest teams towards the end of regular round. Supported by quarterback Justin Herbert’s aerial display, Los Angeles finished the season with just a game under 200 total passing yards and were third in the league with 4,584 on the campaign. These statistics, plus the 26 touchdown passes by Herbert, were the remedy the Chargers needed to rise above the problems that affected their ground game through out the year. Those problems placed them as second to last in average yards per rush (3.8) and total rushing yards (1,524). For defense, Los Angeles still has some issues to deal with, but an improvement in this area led them to their outcome this season. Before their 28-31 loss to the Denver Broncos, this team did not allow any opponent to score over 17 points during their four-game winning streak. This was impressive especially since they were 11th in points allowed with 384. Chargers being second-fewest penalities team in the circuit with only 80, also boosted this team’s performance. As did them being top 10 in the red zone by allowing touchdowns on only 52.1% of visits. But, when defending on the ground, Los Angeles in one of the worst in the league, as they allowed the most yards per rush than other teams with 5.4. Also, their 2,478 rushing yards allowed was the 5th highers figure in the circuit. MatchPlug Prediction Jacksonville Jaguars VS Los Angeles Chargers will be a play off on each other’s strengths and weaknesses, which makes this game the closest one of Wild Card week. Although Los Angeles is a bit superior to Jacksonville in passes and will be facing an extremely incosistent secondary; the Jaguars’ ground game which supercedes that of the Chargers is still expected to have a smooth game against a lackadasical opposing ground defense. The Chargers lost the fewest fumbles of the campaign with only 19, the Jaguars matched the New England Patriots this year as the team that had the most points scored after a turnover with 111 points. That being said, home advantage will play a vital role in today’s matchup. While in 8 out of the past 10 games these teams have played, the Los Angeles team came out on top, this year the Jaguars beat the Chargers 38-10 on the road. This evening the Jaguars will be hosting the Chargers at home where they have a 5-2 record; their opponent had a 5-4 record on the road. Final Prediction: Jaguars to win (LA 20 – JAX 24). Similar Previews NFL Week 18 Predictions: San Francisco 49ers VS Seattle Seahawks