NFL Playoffs 2019: Wild Card best picks against the spread (ATS)

Picking every Wild Card game against the spread as the 2019 NFL Playoffs get underway! This is no easy task, with the lines small and the competition fierce. These are your best picks against the spread.

A 4-0 joint Week 17 was a nice finish to our season, but this is where things get trickier. In the playoffs, there are obviously fewer games, and those games are played between hypothetically more evenly matched teams. This is clear when seeing the lines for wildcard weekend and the start of the NFL Playoffs 2019.

Three of the four contests have a field-goal line or smaller. Is it crazy to attempt to pick every game of the postseason? Yes, but let’s do it anyway! These are your best wildcard picks against the spread for the NFL Playoffs 2019. All lines are via Odds Shark.

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate NFL Playoffs 2019 in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

Dan Salem’s 2018/19 record ATS: 19-15
Todd Salem’s 2018/19 record ATS: 19-15

Your Best Picks ATS:

Todd Salem: Houston Texans -1 vs. Indianapolis Colts
Dan Salem: Houston Texans -1 vs. Indianapolis Colts

Todd Salem: Both teams rode huge streaks to even make it to the postseason. Indy went 9-1 to finish out the year and needed every win. Houston went 11-2 after starting 0-3. The Colts were statistically a much more balanced team during the year, which surprises me when thinking of the two squads. If home field and having blue-chip, elite players is supposed to make the difference in big games, though, Houston has the edge. And I like that I’m giving less than a field goal.

Dan Salem: For my wildcard picks of the NFL Playoffs 2019 I’m going with teams that were consistently better throughout the season. Houston showed me a lot more throughout the year and was consistent after September ended. Because these teams know one another so well, I’m leaning on the home team with better defense. The Colts magical run ends here.

Todd Salem: Dallas Cowboys -1.5 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Dan Salem: Seattle Seahawks +2 at Dallas Cowboys

Todd Salem: This game gave me the most trouble of wildcard weekend. I don’t trust either side. Is Dallas actually good defensively now? Maybe, maybe not, but they are at least stingy against the run, which is all Seattle can reliably count on week to week. A return of peak Doug Baldwin certainly worries me, but Dallas was 7-1 at home this season, which included beating both playoff teams it faced in its own building.

Dan Salem: I’ll admit that I did not believe in the Seahawks prior to the season, but I can’t deny their solid showing. The Seattle defense was much better than I expected. While I did pick the Cowboys to make the playoffs, they rarely played well against upper level opponents. The Seahawks are a veteran team that knows how to win the postseason, plus they are getting points in this game.

Todd Salem: Los Angeles Chargers +3 at Baltimore Ravens
Dan Salem: Los Angeles Chargers +3 at Baltimore Ravens

Todd Salem: I know Baltimore has an elite defense, but I expected Los Angeles to be the most popular road team of the round. Apparently, the book makers don’t agree, which I kind of like! Only one team in the entire sport this season ranked in the top eight in DVOA on both offense and defense. It was the Chargers. Baltimore’s best chance is slowing the game down and pounding the ball, but LA was equally good against the run as it was against the pass. I like the Chargers to win outright, but I will take the field goal cushion to boot.

Dan Salem: The Chargers were the second best team in the AFC all season, so set aside their lackluster showings in late December. I love the story of the Ravens, but I’m a Philip Rivers believer. He will out-duel Lamar Jackson for the straight up victory. Take three points as insurance.

Todd Salem: Philadelphia Eagles +6 at Chicago Bears
Dan Salem: Chicago Bears -5.5 vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Todd Salem: Saint Nick is 4-1 this season, and Philly needed every one of those wins to get into the postseason. Last year, he went 3-0 in games where he played any meaningful amount of time. And then in the playoffs, he obviously went 3-0 on the Eagles’ way to winning the Super Bowl. I’m not saying he is unbeatable in games that matter, but I’m also not not saying that. I’ll take Foles +6 against an opposing offense that was below average essentially across the board.

Dan Salem: Its tempting to get a lot of points, especially with the defending Super Bowl champions. Yet I refuse to join the crowd of people writing off the Bears. Chicago was stellar all season and their offense deserves more credit than it has received. They are home and will easily exploit the porous Eagles secondary. Not even Foles will be able to work his magic against this defense. Bears win.