Super Bowl 2017: Updated Favorites and Odds Entering Wild Card Weekend

We’re inching closer to the start of the NFL postseason. As we do, it’s becoming apparent that the playoffs aren’t going to look like we probably thought they would a couple of months ago.

Quarterback injuries are going to play a big role beginning on Wild Card Weekend. With the Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs leaping up and snatching playoff byes over the final few weeks of the season, the divisional round is going to look different too.

The Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks were poised to own the No. 2 seeds in their respective conferences down the stretch. After late-season losses, though, these two teams will be playing on the road in the divisional round—assuming they can even make it that far.

Let’s take an in-depth look at Wild Card Weekend. We’ll examine the games and the latest odds, courtesy of OddsShark. We’ll also predict winners for each opening-round contest.

Wild Card Schedule and Odds

The Games

Oakland at Houston

The Raiders lost out on the No. 2 seed in the AFC by dropping their season finale to the Denver Broncos. Unfortunately, Oakland also lost its second quarterback in as many weeks when Matt McGloin suffered a shoulder injury.

This means the Raiders will start rookie Connor Cook, while the Houston Texans will turn back to Brock Osweiler after starter Tom Savage went down with a concussion, per ABC News.

Raiders will start Connor Cook vs Texans.So it’s Cook vs Brock Osweiler.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 4, 2017

While this might not be the quarterback matchup that fans were expecting (or necessarily want), this game still has the potential to be exciting. The Raiders offense, which is rated eighth overall, has the weapons to support Cook. The offensive line, rated fifth in both run blocking and pass blocking, should be a boon as well.

However, Cook and Co. will go against the league’s stingiest defense in terms of yardage allowed—the Texans give up just 301.3 per game.

We also have to add the fact that Osweiler has more starting experience and more experience working with the weapons around him. Cook, who was active for the first time in Week 17, has likely seen few meaningful practice reps.

Carr said on 957 he takes 99.9 percent of practice reps. He needs everything …

continue reading in source www.bleacherreport.com