Las Vegas handicapper Bruce Marshall is an analyst at VegasInsider.com. He provides the Review-Journal with NFL tech notes and trends. Follow @VegasInsider on X.
Sunday’s matchups
Chiefs at Ravens (-4, 44½): The teams haven’t met since September 2021. Kansas City, playing in its sixth straight AFC title game, was 3-2 straight-up and against the spread in the previous five. This season, the Chiefs have won and covered four straight and are 5-3-1 ATS on the road. Baltimore is on a 6-2 ATS run, though only 3-3 ATS in its last six at home. Kansas City is on a 10-4-1 under run. Edge: Under and slight to Chiefs.
Lions at 49ers (-7, 51½): The teams also haven’t met since September 2021. San Francisco, playing in its fourth NFC title game in five seasons, was 1-2 SU and 2-1 ATS in the previous three. Detroit is 13-6 ATS this season and 22-7 ATS dating to last season. The Lions are on an 8-1 ATS run as underdogs and an 11-3 ATS run on the road. The 49ers are on an 0-6 ATS skid at home. Detroit is on an 8-3 over run. Edge: Lions and over.
Overall conference title trends
— Home teams are on a 16-4 SU, 13-7 ATS run.
— Since the 1970 merger, 64 of 106 games have been decided by double digits, 47 by 14 points or more.
— Last four games have gone under.
