Best Parlay Picks for NFL Wild Card Round: Late-Season Trends That Will Translate to the Postseason

• The Texans are averaging just 17.4 points per game over their last five games.

• The Steelers are 8-2 in their last 10 head-to-head games with the Ravens with nine of those 10 games being decided by seven points or less.

• The Buccaneers have won six of their last seven games while the Commanders enter the playoffs on a five-game winning streak.

The NFL playoffs have arrived with the always compelling six-game Wild Card Weekend getting things started. Obviously, with just six games, it’s a little harder to put together a parlay that you can trust. However, by paying close attention to late-season trends and taking into account everything we know about these great teams, we’ve managed to find a four-leg parlay that we like. 

For our Wild Card Weekend parlay, the odds are coming from Caesars Sportsbook. Caesars has everything you could want in a sportsbook: a trusted brand, competitive odds, and tools that make it easy to tease spreads. Plus, Caesars has an amazing welcome offer for new users right now. All you have to do is sign up and place a $1 bet on any sporting event to receive a set of 10 profit boosts that will double the profit on any winning bet. With the playoffs here, now is the perfect time to have some 100% profit boosts in your back pocket. Even without a boost, the odds for this week’s four-leg parlay at Caesars are currently +496.

Once you sign up with Caesars, the next step is learning how to stream NFL Wild Card games for free right on the Caesars platform. This will make it easy to see how the game is unfolding as it relates to your bets. The start of the playoffs is also a great time to look at a recent breakdown of the current Super Bowl LIX odds since there are only 14 teams still in the running. In the meantime, here is a breakdown of the four bets in our Wild Card weekend parlay.

Chargers ML (-160) vs. Texans at Caesars Sportsbook 

Backing a road team in the playoffs is always a little tricky, but the Chargers feel like a safe choice. After all, they’re favored on the road, and when you take away the spread and just bet on the Chargers’ moneyline, you don’t lose much value. After all, the Chargers won three in a row to close out the regular season, giving them plenty of momentum heading into the playoffs. They also went 6-3 on the road this season, so they’re more than capable of taking their act on the road, especially with the NFL’s best defense. Keep in mind Jim Harbaugh won at least one playoff game all three times he took the 49ers to the postseason early in his career.

On the other hand, the Texans don’t have a lot of momentum and head into the playoffs with a lot of questions. Houston finished the season just 1-5 against teams that made the playoffs. The Texans also struggled offensively down the stretch, averaging just 17.4 points per game over their last five games. That includes 21 total points in losses to the Chiefs and Ravens late in the year. Houston hasn’t been able to raise its level of play against better competition. In fact, they’ve been relatively average in most respects this season, which is why it’s safe to bet on the Chargers to advance.

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Steelers vs. Ravens -6.5 (-188) at Caesars Sportsbook 

Things have fallen apart for the Steelers late in the season. They’ve lost their last four games, going 1-3 against the spread. That includes a 34-17 loss in Baltimore in Week 16. In fact, three of those four losses came by at least 14 points, which explains why this spread is so substantial. At this point, it’s hard to envision the Steelers getting their act together and being able to give the Ravens a run for their money.

That being said, history is on Pittsburgh’s side in this game. The Steelers have won eight of their last 10 head-to-head meetings with the Ravens. All 10 of those games other than the 34-17 game a few weeks ago were decided by seven points or less. There is also Lamar Jackson’s 2-4 playoff record to worry about. However, by teasing the spread under a touchdown, one can feel confident in Baltimore. The Ravens have gotten hot lately, winning four in a row to close out the season, winning all four games by double digits. In fact, nine of Baltimore’s 12 wins this season have come by at least seven points, which is why we’re including the Ravens -6.5 in our parlay.

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Packers +7.5 (-188) vs. Eagles ML at Caesars Sportsbook 

The Eagles looked great down the stretch, but they face some questions heading into the playoffs. Early in the week, Jalen Hurts is still in concussion protocol, making him questionable for Sunday’s game. Other key members of the Eagles are banged up too, so they may not be at full strength. Obviously, Philadelphia can always lean on Saquon Barkley, although the Packers are among the best teams in the NFL at stopping the run. The Eagles are going to need Hurts to be healthy and pose a threat with both his arms and legs.

In fairness, the Packers are facing some questions after losing three of their last five games. Jordan Love had to leave last week’s game as a precaution while Christian Watson has been lost for the season. However, five of Green Bay’s six losses this season have come by five points or less. The Packers don’t go down easily and have one of the most balanced teams in the league, which is why they play a lot of close games. The kicker is that Matt LaFleur is 24-12-1 against the spread as an underdog and 18-5-1 against the spread as an underdog of more than a field goal. We’ll tease the spread by a few points just to be safe. But there is a good chance this game gets decided by three points or less.

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Commanders vs. Buccaneers ML (-178) at Caesars Sportsbook 

The Bucs may dominate the Commanders 37-20 the way they did in Week 1, but we expect Tampa to prevail at home. Even if last week’s win to assure the NFC South crown was a little ugly, the Buccaneers have won six of their last seven games, so they carry a lot of momentum with them into the playoffs. They also have more playoff experience than Washington, which should factor into the equation. Also, Tampa ranks third in passing yards and fourth in rushing yards. That balance against a modest Washington defense should be enough to carry the Bucs to victory.

To be fair, the Commanders have some momentum of their own after winning five straight to close out the regular season. However, winning a road playoff game with a rookie quarterback is no easy task. Jayden Daniels is also dealing with a leg injury that forced him to leave Washington’s Week 18 game early. If he’s limited in any capacity, it’ll be a big blow to the Commanders, who only have one win this season against a team that made the playoffs. Washington wasn’t particularly reliable on the road this season, which is another factor that points to the Bucs finding a way to scratch out a win in this game.

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