NFL betting tips: Best bets for the Conference Championships
28 Jan
NFL
Jack Green
Jack Green makes his NFL betting picks for the Conference Championship games as the Bengals face the Chiefs and the 49ers take on the Rams.

Visit Betway’s NFL picks page for picks and predictions throughout the season.

Cincinnati Bengals (+7.5) at Kansas City Chiefs 20/23

The Bengals have gone from the worst record in the NFL to the AFC Championship game in just two seasons, and earning a spot in the Super Bowl with a win over the Chiefs would represent one of the NFL’s most stunning turnarounds ever.

Cincinnati beat the Tennessee Titans 19-16 last week after seeing off the Las Vegas Raiders in the Wild Card round. They’ve now won six of their last seven games, including a 34-31 win over the Chiefs in Week 17.

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense have been back at their formidable best during the playoffs – particularly in last week’s incredible 42-26 win over the Buffalo Bills – but the defence is suspect and can be exploited by Cincinnati’s array of weapons, including running back Joe Mixon and star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

A Super Bowl berth may be beyond this young Bengals team, but they have the firepower to compete with the Chiefs and keep the score within a touchdown.

Joe Burrow over 284.5 passing yards 17/20

This game should be a shootout between two explosive offenses, and the Chiefs’ struggles against the Bills’ passing game last week suggests this will be a big game for Burrow.

The Cincinnati quarterback threw for 348 yards last week and has now averaged over 390 passing yards in his last four games.

That run includes a 446-yard, four-touchdown game against the Chiefs, so it’s safe to expect him to do more damage against a defence that allowed the eighth-most passing yards of any team in the regular season.

San Francisco 49ers (+3.5) at Los Angeles Rams 20/23

These teams last met in Week 18, when the 49ers beat the Rams in overtime on the road to earn a playoff berth.

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan has now beaten the Rams’ Sean McVay in six consecutive meetings, so it’s well worth taking the points here and backing the 49ers to keep this one at least within a field goal.

The Rams hold the quarterback advantage here, but the Niners’ dominant defence has kept Jimmy Garoppolo and the offense in games over the past few weeks. They will turn up the heat on Matthew Stafford, who often makes mistakes under pressure.

Expect the 49ers to control possession and limit turnovers in a defensive battle that could go down to the final play.

Deebo Samuel anytime touchdown 10/11

Samuel failed to find the endzone last week but looks a safe bet to bounce back on Sunday given the incredible season he’s had.

An all-round offensive weapon who can score through the air or on the ground, Samuel has at least one touchdown in eight of his last 10 games and even passed for a score against the Rams in Week 18.

He has four total touchdowns in two games against Los Angeles this season, so it would be no surprise to see him dominate again on Sunday.