Picks of the Dragon: NFL Playoffs Predictions!

With a hypothetical $100 and a dream, join Weekly betting guru Tyler Vondrak (aka The Dragon) as he takes his fictional dough and places bets on the big games of the week. This time around, The Dragon places his bets on the NFL playoff picture.

Game 1: Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans (Texans -2.5)

The whole season, bettors have jumped on and off the Buffalo Bill bandwagon. Josh Allen is a stellar sophomore season, and the supporting cast of John Brown and Devin Singletary catered a 10-win season and a slot in the opening weekend of the playoffs. The real star of this team however has been its defense, keeping teams to an average of 16.2 points per game.

Unfortunately for the Bills, they are running into one of the next generation of the NFL’s two greatest players: Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins. Playoffs are often decided by experience and Josh Allen just doesn’t have any yet. While the whole country seems to be on Bills bandwagon I’ll fade and go with the short home favorite to pull this one out by more than a field goal.

Pick Texans -2.5 for $20 to win $18

Game 2: Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots (Patriots -5)


A tale of two quarterbacks we thought we knew. Ryan Tannehill, on a revival campaign after coming in to relieve the flailing Marcus Mariota, has had a second lease on life with the titans. At the same time, Tom Brady is fighting Father Time at age 42 and working with a new corps of receivers that have felt just a little off every drive. Never underestimate the Patriots in the playoffs, but when playing in the first round they are just 3 and 3 over the last 19 years. The offense just hasn’t been the death machine rolling like years past, and I think the Titans can keep it close. While this may feel like fool’s gold I’m going to grab the 5 with Titans and see if they can’t at least keep it close.

Pick Titans + 5 for $20 to win $18

Game 3: Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints (Saints -7.5)

Speaking of Father Time: It seems that he may have forgotten about our boy out in the bayou, Drew Brees. He is coming into the postseason red hot with no signs of slowing down. With weapons surrounding him, including the nuclear bomb that is Michael Thomas, I have a hard time seeing a banged-up Minnesota squad keeping up with them in the Superdome. The Viking’s running back Dalvin Cook has injuries in both shoulders and is just waiting for one more hit to finish him off. I think this bully-style New Orleans defense will be more than happy to oblige and relying on Kirk Cousins to pull off this one on the road is asking just a little much. Bad beat memories are all over the place in New Orleans and the revenge tour starts here. Saints win big.

Pick Saints -7.5 for $30 to win $27

Seattle Seahawks at Philadelphia Eagles (Seattle -1.5)

No need to over think this one. Neither the Eagles nor the NFC south had any business putting a team in the post season. Hats off to Carson Wentz for singlehandedly willing this team to the playoffs with some help from a befuddled Cowboys program. I think Seattle has the know-how to just win this game by any means necessary and it helps when you have the quarterback of generation at the helm. I expect Russell Wilson to do big things and their reinvented defense to hold the Eagles offense in check enough to win the game. Never a huge fan of road favorites, but can’t convince myself of any other play on this one.

Pick Seahawks -1.5 for $30 to win $27