NFL championship games opening lines: Home teams both laying a TD
Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.
Two tickets to Miami will be at stake this weekend when the NFL's four remaining teams compete to represent their conference in the Super Bowl.
Here's a look at the opening lines for each matchup, where the early money is going, and how the spreads could move leading up to kickoff.
Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs (-7.5, 52)
It's hard to say which of these teams left a better impression on bettors in the divisional round. On Saturday, the Titans put in a flawless performance to stun likely MVP Lamar Jackson and the previously unstoppable Baltimore Ravens. Then on Sunday, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs were unfazed by an early 24-0 deficit, battling back to score 41 unanswered points in a mauling of the Houston Texans.
The Titans were 10-point underdogs in Baltimore, but their impressive performance led them to open as shorter 7.5-point 'dogs for this matchup with the Chiefs. Sharp money was quick to back Tennessee (with the benefit of the hook), which prompted a couple of books to lower the line to -7 at -125. From a public perspective, Kansas City will surely see more money as this week progresses.
The Titans beat the Chiefs at home in Week 10 as 5-point 'dogs, and they've gone 9-3 against the spread since quarterback Ryan Tannehill took over. They've also gone 5-1 ATS and straight up on the road with Tannehill under center, and 3-2 both ATS and SU as 'dogs.
The Chiefs won't get any lower than -7 between now and kickoff, so you should invest in KC stock now if that's your pick to cover. But if you believe in the Titans, the line should climb ever so slightly over the course of this week, with a likely close of -7.5 or -8.
On conference championship weekend since 2007, favorites of at least a touchdown have gone 2-6 ATS but 6-2 SU.
The total hasn't seen much movement yet, although it's down to 51.5 in some shops from a consensus open of 52.
Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers (-7, 45)
San Francisco opened as touchdown favorite after comfortably disposing of the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional round. The No. 1-seeded 49ers will have an extra day of rest, while the Packers will need to fly across the country after hosting the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
This matchup could wind up being the most-bet game of the season to date, as it features a pair of popular teams in a prime-time slot. The line has held firm at -7 so far with good two-way support, and it should remain at this number throughout the week. If it ticks up to -7.5, sharp money will be quick to jump on the Packers; if it drops to -6.5, sharps will support the 49ers.
This game could also be bet similarly to Seattle vs. Green Bay, which saw bettors lay the points with the favorite (Packers) and take the moneyline with the underdog (Seahawks). Books will have plenty of liability this week on Chiefs/49ers teasers, but they'll also likely need a San Francisco win given all the attention that Green Bay's moneyline is expected to receive.
Earlier this season, the 49ers hammered the Packers 37-8 in San Francisco as 3.5-point favorites, but that was Green Bay's only loss as an underdog in 2019. The Packers went 3-1 ATS and SU when getting points, though they were never more than 4.5-point 'dogs.
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.