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Betting nuggets for AFC and NFC title games

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Here is a look at some things to know as you bet the AFC and NFC Championship games.

All lines are courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.


Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots (-8.5, 46), 3:05 ET (Sunday)

  • The Patriots are 20-5 ATS in their past 25 games dating back to last season. This includes a 4-0 ATS record in the playoffs during this stretch.

  • The Jaguars are 7-3 ATS and 9-1 SU in their past 10 games against AFC opponents. The under is 8-2 in those games.

  • Since Doug Marrone took over as head coach in Week 16 last season, the Jaguars are 6-2 ATS with five outright wins as an underdog.

  • This will mark the third time Blake Bortles starts a postseason game as an underdog in his college/NFL career. Bortles has led his team to an upset win in the previous two games (UCF beat Baylor as 16.5-point underdogs in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl, Jacksonville beat Pittsburgh last week as 7-point underdogs).

  • The Patriots are 13-6 ATS and 19-0 straight up in their past 19 games against AFC South opponents. (The last SU loss was at the Houston Texans on Jan. 3, 2010). The over is 15-4 in those games.

  • The Patriots are 2-6 ATS and 4-4 SU in their past eight AFC Championship Games. Prior to this stretch, New England was a perfect 5-0 ATS and 5-0 SU all-time in the AFC title game (3-0 in Brady-Belichick era).

  • The Jaguars are 0-2 ATS and 0-2 SU all-time in the AFC Championship Game. This includes a 20-6 loss as 7-point underdogs at New England on Jan. 12, 1997.

  • There have been five teams to win multiple games as a touchdown underdog in a single postseason during the Super Bowl Era. The Jaguars, who won at Pittsburgh as 7-point underdogs last week, have a chance to be sixth team to accomplish this feat.

  • The over is 7-2 in the Jaguars' nine road playoff games in franchise history.

  • The over in 6-1 in the Patriots' past seven home playoff games.

  • There have been two upsets in the past 11 AFC Championship Games. The Patriots have been the favorite in both of those upsets.

  • The under is 5-1 in the past six AFC Championship Games.

  • This will mark the 36th consecutive game that the Patriots are favored in, the longest active streak as a favorite in the NFL.

  • This will mark the 22nd time in their past 23 playoff games that the Patriots enter as a favorite.


Minnesota Vikings (-3, 39) at Philadelphia Eagles, 6:40 ET (Sunday)

  • The Eagles have won outright in all four of their games as a home underdog during the Super Bowl era. This includes a 15-10 win as 2.5-point underdogs last week against the Falcons.

  • The Eagles are 12-5 ATS and 14-3 SU at home over the past two seasons under Doug Pederson.

  • This will mark the second time the Vikings have been a road favorite in the playoffs during the Super Bowl era. The previous occurrence also came in the NFC Championship Game, a 41-0 loss to the Giants as 2.5-point favorites on Jan. 14, 2001.

  • The Vikings are 10-4-1 ATS and 12-3 SU in games started by Case Keenum this season.

  • Nick Foles is 1-8 ATS in his past nine starts (1-3 with Eagles).

  • The Vikings are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 games against NFC East opponents.

  • The under is 8-0 in the Eagles' past eight home playoff games.

  • This will mark the eighth time that the home team is an underdog in the past five postseasons. The under is 7-0 in the previous seven games.

  • The Vikings are 1-4 ATS and 0-5 SU in their past five NFC Championship Games.

  • The Vikings are 2-8 ATS in their 10 games as a favorite against the Eagles during the Super Bowl era.

  • Favorites are 4-1 ATS and 5-0 SU in the past 5 NFC Championship Games. The last upset came on Jan. 22, 2012 when the Giants won 20-17 over the 49ers in overtime as 2.5-point underdogs.

  • The over is 9-2-1 in the past 12 NFC Championship Games.

  • The over is 11-3 in the Vikings' past 14 games with a closing total in the 30s.

  • This will mark the third straight game that the Eagles are underdogs in. Philadelphia had been favored in nine straight games prior to this stretch.