NFL Playoffs 2017: Top Seeds and Home Advantage Betting Tips

The 2016 NFL regular season is nearly complete and that means the 2017 NFL playoffs are basically upon us. As of now, only two of the top four seeds that will get a 1st round bye have been set with New England and Dallas already there, making a full analysis of the chances top seeds going all the way this year a little tough. However, since the 2000 playoffs, about 70% of the teams involved in Conference Championship games come from those top two spots, and last year we saw both Conference Title games pit #1 vs. #2 against each other.

Will we see similar results this year?

2017 NFL Playoffs Top Seeds

There is no denying how important home-field advantage is in the NFL playoffs. Typically oddsmakers give the home side a 3-point edge when lining games and there are some franchises that get even more then that because of a much more decided home field advantage. Teams like New England, Seattle, and Green Bay come in mind in that regard and we will at least see two of those organizations play a home game at some point in this year's playoffs.

Statistically, home field advantage is nice, but being one of those top two seeds is even better. Since the NFL playoffs are one-game take all scenarios, having in home field in as many rounds as possible is the ideal scenario and right now only the Dallas Cowboys can lay claim to that this year.

It's likely that New England will be in the same boat soon enough, and if that's the case a Dallas vs. New England Super Bowl has a great chance of occuring. They are already the top two teams in the odds to win it all this year, but in the 17 Super Bowls played since 2000, 10 of them have been won by either a #1 or #2 seed. With the jury still out on who will claim those other two first round byes (one in each conference) as of this writing, that is definitely something NFL bettors have to keep in mind between now and the start of the playoffs.

None of this is to say that it's almost a lock that we won't see any of those lower four seeds in either conference make a run to the Super Bowl, because it's very possible we do. Two teams likely to finish in those areas are the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers, and knowing how much support those two organizations always get on the betting line come playoff time, those looking to see those top two seeds stumble will likely end up on one of those two squads. (As a side note, Green Bay still has to clinch a playoff spot somewhere right now)

Backing NFL Top Seeds To The Super Bowl

The reward for being one of the best teams in the league during the regular season is getting the easiest path to the Super Bowl. That's why these top seeds have done so well and have had a high success rate in the NFl playoffs this century and that will likely always be the case.

So when you are breaking down this year's playoffs and isolating contenders, the best place to start is with the top two seeds in each conference and trying to determine which opponents have the best shot at tripping them up. For example, Dallas may be the #1 seed in the NFC, but both of their losses came to the New York Giants this year and that's likely the last team the Cowboys want to see in the postseason. 

Category : Online Betting News

Tag : Bet on NFL , dallas cowboys , new england patriots , NFL Playoffs , NFL playoffs odds , Super Bowl 51 , Super Bowl LI odds

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