SuperBook Sports previews Wild Card Weekend

NFL: Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans

It’s been an interesting season for both the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans. That may be putting it mildly.

The Browns have had five different starting quarterbacks, including Joe Flacco, who made a shocking return into a starting role and has played some of the best football of his entire career. The veteran QB has thrown for more than 300 yards in four straight games. At 38, Flacco is the oldest quarterback in the playoffs and he will be playing against the youngest.

The Texans selected C.J. Stroud with the second-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Stroud has been phenomenal this season, throwing for over 4,100 yards along with 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He has led a young Texans team to the playoffs in what was meant to be the first year in a promising rebuild. Instead, the Texans are hosting a playoff game with hopes of advancing to the Divisional round.

The line for this matchup is currently set at 2.5 in favor of Cleveland. Despite being on the road, the Browns open as the favorite for multiple reasons.

First, they have a better record than the Texans at 11-5. Second, they had won four games in a row before Week 18, in which they benched the majority of their starters. And finally, they defeated the Texans by a 36-22 count in Week 16.

But does any of that matter when it comes to the playoffs? No, it does not. The postseason is a whole different spectacle. Players, teams and even coaches for that matter perform differently when everything is on the line.

All the chips are in the pot and it’s a win-or-go-home scenario. But who will be walking away with it all after this round?

Steve Quinne’s Pick: Cleveland Browns ML (-135)

A case can be made for both teams. But when in doubt, go with the hot hand. No one is hotter than Joe Flacco and the Browns. With a week of rest, expect Flacco and the Browns to get it done and continue their historic run.

NFL: Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs

At 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, the temperature in Miami will be just below 70 degrees. Perfect for football. Too bad that’s not where this matchup will be played.

Instead, the Dolphins will travel to Kansas City, where the forecasted temperature is a balmy four degrees. Not exactly ideal conditions for a football game.

The Dolphins finished the year in disappointing fashion, losing three of their last five to finish 11-6. One of those losses was in Week 18 to their division rival, the Buffalo Bills. With the winner taking the division title, the Dolphins fell short. As a result, they have to play the defending Super Bowl champions on the road.

The Dolphins are currently 4.5-point underdogs in this matchup. Their a fish out of water given the weather.

In their last nine games where the temperature was below 40 degrees at kickoff, Miami is 0-9. It’ll be well south of that mark on Saturday night.

In addition, the Dolphins are battling a lot of injuries. Losing Bradley Chubb to a season-ending knee injury will slow down their pass rush, which doesn’t bode well heading into a game against Patrick Mahomes.

Despite winning the division, the Chiefs haven’t performed as they usually do. As a result, Kansas City enters the playoffs with much more doubt than last year. However, with the tremendous home-field advantage and the seemingly undisputed best quarterback in the league, it’s hard to pick against the defending champs.

Steve Quinne’s Pick: Kansas City ML (-230)

It’s a storyline matchup with Tyreek Hill returning to face his former team. But in the cold conditions and with Patrick Mahomes’ recent playoff performances, this one should go in the direction of Kansas City. Under 44.5 is also in play, as both offenses could sputter given the elements.