Illinois continues to see significant declines in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and the positivity rate.  In fact, more than 1,100 fewer people are hospitalized with COVID than were just one week ago.  

Thursday’s COVID numbers continue to show the omicron variant-fueled surge in Illinois is in retreat.  For the first time in weeks, no region in the Chicago-area is reporting fewer than 10% of its intensive care beds available. 

However, Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting the highest number of daily deaths in more than a year; and even the average number of daily deaths is higher than it’s been in a year, since before vaccines were widely available. This is not entirely unexpected since deaths typically lag behind infections by several weeks.

Here are today’s numbers:

• 23,246 New Cases 
• 6,258 Hospitalized (lowest since Jan 1)
• 1,033 Intensive Care patients (lowest since Dec 29)
• 198 Deaths (highest since Dec 5, 2020)

There are only two rounds left of NFL football this year before we know which two teams will be duking it out in Super Bowl LVI. The Green Bay Packers are still slight favorites to win according to BetMGM (+350) but Kansas City Chiefs (+400) are not far behind according to the sportsbooks.

But first, the Packers will have to navigate past the 49ers’ defense, ranked sixth, this weekend. It’s been a tough season for the Wisconsin team with several key players injured. However, many of them are returning now for the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Tom Brady is trying to lead the defending champions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, past the Los Angeles Rams. If there’s anything Brady’s taught us over the years is that as long as he’s around he may seem down but he’s never really truly out.

Count on the Buccaneers to lay it all out on the field when the Rams come for a final visit this season. Our experts have picked Rams to win on the moneyline, which shows how difficult this one is to predict. Let’s just say they weren’t unanimous in their pick on this one and the Rams are the underdogs here.

We do know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this NFL Divisional Round will be one to remember. May the odds be with you on this one.

Kindly note that all information in this preview, including whether or not the events will take place, is subject to change due to Covid-19.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Tennessee Titans – Preview & Prediction

As the NFL playoffs come down to the final eight teams, we take a look at the first of the weekend matchups. The number one seed Tennessee Titans host the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday at 69,000-seater Nissan Stadium. Here’s what you need to know before wagering on the action.

Rested Titans to outlast Bengals

The coveted bye week came at an ideal time for Tennessee, who also benefits from avoiding the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round. With extra rest and practice time under his belt, Derrick Henry is expected to return from a foot injury to give the Titans a huge boost this weekend.

Cincinnati deserves credit for last weekend’s 26-19 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders – the Bengals’ first postseason win in 31 years. The Joe Burrow-Ja’Marr Chase duo gives the visitors a shot at an upset, but look for Tennessee to produce a statement win.

The Pick: Titans -3.5 – BetMGM offer odds around -110 

Henry’s return set to open up Tennessee offense

All eyes will be on Henry on Saturday, with the powerhouse running back expected to be in action for the first time since October 31. Look for Tennessee to take a cautious approach, splitting carries between Henry and D’Onta Foreman, but the return of “King Henry” is a huge momentum swing given the defensive line injuries suffered by the Bengals in the Wildcard Round.

This could mean an embarrassment of riches for Ryan Tannehill, with Julio Jones healthy and A.J. Brown looking sharp after making his own late-season comeback. Last weekend, Las Vegas moved the ball with relative ease against Cincinnati, including 103 rushing yards on just 14 carries. But expect the Titans to be more effective in the red zone than the Raiders were.

Defensively, Tennessee is well equipped to slow down Joe Mixon and the Bengals’ running game – the hosts ranked second in the NFL during the regular season with just 85 rushing yards allowed per game. The Chase matchup will be a bigger concern, but the Titans’ strong front seven should allow for double coverage in the secondary.

Depleted defensive line leaves Cincinnati vulnerable

The Bengals’ win on Saturday came at a cost, with a string of defensive linemen limping off. Larry Ogunjobi (foot) will miss the clash with Henry and the Titans while Josh Tupou (knee) and Mike Daniels (groin) also questionable. Trey Hendrickson, the key to Cincinnati’s pass rush, suffered a concussion against the Raiders and faces a race against time to return against Tennessee.

But the good news is that Burrow looked composed in his first playoff appearance, throwing two touchdown passes in a turnover-free outing. He will likely need to feed more touches to Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins with so much of the Titans’ attention being directed to Chase.

With a short week to prepare, it is tough to see the Bengals snatching a win here without a big day from Mixon. He was held to 48 rushing yards on 17 carries against a talented Las Vegas defensive line. The task gets no easier against Tennessee, but Cincinnati may find opportunities to use Mixon as a pass-catcher out of the backfield too.

San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers – Preview & Prediction

The Green Bay Packers welcome the San Francisco 49ers to 81,000-seater Lambeau Field on Saturday night in one of the marquee games of the NFL Divisional Round. We dig into the matchup and highlight the top betting tips.

Steady Packers to grind out win over surging 49ers

As Green Bay seeks a third straight trip to the NFC Championship Game, Aaron Rodgers and company have had the benefit of a bye week to ease banged up players back into the fold. Heading into Saturday, it will not be lost on the Packers that they were crushed by the 49ers in the 2019 NFC Championship Game, though they did win the teams’ Week 5 contest 30-28 this year.

San Francisco finished the regular season with four wins from their last five games before a dramatic 23-17 road victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the Wildcard Round. The 49ers have difference-makers on both sides of the ball but, on a cold night at Lambeau Field, look for Green Bay to cover this spread.

The Pick: Packers -6 – BetMGM offer odds around -110 

Green Bay bolstered by clearer injury report

The Packers stormed to a 13-4 record this year despite missing key contributors for chunks of the season. Now the cavalry is returning for the playoff run. For a start, Rodgers’ injured toe should be closer to 100% this weekend – and he could have linemen Josh Myers and David Bakhtiari available to slow down a fierce San Francisco pass rush.

Defensively, there is optimism that Jaire Alexander will be back to help with the Deebo Samuel matchup. Pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith is moving closer to a return, though the Divisional Round may come too soon for him. The Packers’ defense showed some vulnerability in the final month of the regular season, but expect a sharper outing here.

Davante Adams is sure to see tight coverage but Rodgers has plenty of other options. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon provide a solid 1-2 punch to combat the 49ers’ run-stoppers, while Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard are big-play threats.

Samuel and Kittle capable of sparking an upset

Conversely, injury concerns will dominate San Francisco’s build-up to Saturday night. Nick Bosa entered the concussion protocol on Sunday while Fred Warner limped off with an ankle injury. Both are expected to play against Green Bay, but keep an eye on the injury reports this week.

Then there is Jimmy Garoppolo, who suffered a shoulder sprain in the win over the Cowboys. Again, it is not likely to keep him out on Saturday, but it is another question mark hanging over the 49ers. Beyond that, Garoppolo was steady in Dallas, but for the interception that opened the door for a Cowboys comeback.

As long as Samuel and George Kittle are out there, San Francisco will have a chance of generating long drives and keeping Rodgers off the field. The 49ers have excelled in finding ways to get Samuel involved (on Sunday, he had 72 rushing yards and a touchdown to go with 38 receiving yards) but expect more targets for Kittle, who had just one catch last time out. Watch for Elijah Mitchell too – he punished the Cowboys on the ground and will be busy again this weekend.

Los Angeles Rams @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Preview & Prediction

The defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in the NFL’s Divisional Round. In front of 65,800 fans, the Buccaneers will look to avenge a loss to the Rams earlier in the season. We break down the top betting tips and latest team news.

Rams to unsettle Brady and advance to NFC Championship Game

The Buccaneers brushed aside the Philadelphia Eagles in dismissive fashion on Sunday, with a 31-15 win that was more dominant than the scoreline suggests. But the Tampa Bay offense is banged up around Tom Brady, who faces a much sterner test against this loaded Los Angeles defense.

The Rams are coming off an emphatic win of their own, sweeping past the Arizona Cardinals in a ruthless 34-11 victory. Matthew Stafford aced his first playoff examination with Los Angeles, with Cooper Kupp once again at the heart of the Rams’ best moments. Despite a short week to prepare, look for the hungry visitors to get just enough key stops to clinch the win.

The Pick: Rams (moneyline) – BetMGM offer odds around +125 

Buccaneers sweating on a lengthy injury list

A depleted Tampa Bay offense exceeded expectations in the Wildcard Round, with Mike Evans and Giovani Bernard stepping up as Brady finished with two touchdowns and just eight incompletions on 37 pass attempts.

But the Buccaneers’ injury woes got worse at the weekend. Offensive linemen Tristan Wirfs and Ryan Jensen both suffered ankle injuries. While Jensen was able to return, Wirfs’ status for Sunday is questionable. Against a bruising Los Angeles front seven, pass protection could be a real problem for Brady if that duo are unavailable or limited.

Then there are the ongoing injuries. There is optimism that Leonard Fournette (hamstring) could be back, but Ronald Jones (ankle) and Cyril Grayson (hamstring) may be game-time decisions. Plus, of course, Chris Godwin is done for the season with an ACL injury.

Defensively, Tampa Bay swarmed around Jalen Hurts, making his life miserable through the first three quarters. The hosts have the pass-rushers to disrupt the pocket for Stafford but cannot afford to lose the Kupp matchup.

Time is now for Los Angeles defense to shine

It is no secret that the Rams are all-in with this roster and their pursuit of a Super Bowl ring – and they spent big on their defense for exactly this type of postseason clash. Los Angeles overwhelmed Kyler Murray on Monday night, ruining his playoff debut by holding him to 137 passing yards and six rushing yards while intercepting him twice.

The formula for beating the Buccaneers here has to start with Aaron Donald and Von Miller dominating the line of scrimmage. Facing a Tampa Bay offensive line that is dealing with injuries, there is no excuse for the Rams if they cannot get to Brady. Jalen Ramsey will draw the Evans assignment for much of the game and that showdown promises to have a major impact on the outcome.

Neither team got much traction running the ball in their prior meeting this season (a 34-24 win for Los Angeles back in Week 3), but it was telling that Brady, who threw the ball 55 times that afternoon, was the Buccaneers’ leading rusher with 14 yards. The Rams are well placed to repeat that type of defensive performance this weekend.

The biggest Los Angeles question mark still surrounds Stafford. He was outstanding against Arizona (343 passing yards, four touchdowns) but the pressure will be cranked up another notch as he goes toe-to-toe with Brady. If Kupp is blanketed, Odell Beckham Jr. and Van Jefferson will need to step up, while it should help the visitors that they have a fresh Cam Akers splitting carriers with Sony Michel in the ground game.

The Rams’ main injury concerns are Andrew Whitworth (knee, ankle) and David Long Jr. (knee), but both have a shot at being available for Sunday.

Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs – Preview & Prediction

The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills collide on Sunday night in the final matchup of the NFL’s
Divisional Round. With a 72,900-strong crowd expected at Arrowhead Stadium, this could be the most entertaining game of the weekend. Here’s what you need to know before wagering on the action.

Bills to avenge last year’s playoff loss and take down Chiefs

This rematch of the 2021 AFC Championship Game (won by Kansas City) is easy to market as Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen but will be decided by many other factors too. Buffalo arrives with a wave of momentum after crushing the New England Patriots 47-17 in one of the most dominant playoff wins in NFL history. Despite the cold weather, Allen threw five touchdown passes as the Bills made a major statement about their Super Bowl ambitions.

The Chiefs had a lopsided win of their own last weekend, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 42-21, even after a sluggish start. On their day, the hosts can blow anyone away with their offensive weapons, but Buffalo has looked the more balanced team over the past month. We like the Bills to get the job done here.

The Pick: Bills +1.5 – BetMGM offer odds around -110 

Allen hitting peak form at perfect time

With 21-for-25 passing for 308 yards and five touchdowns, plus 66 rushing yards, Allen may never play a more complete game than Saturday’s demolition of the Patriots. Buffalo pushed all the right buttons against a solid New England defense, with Allen spreading the ball around.

In the past, a big offensive day for the Bills might have required a monster performance from Stefon Diggs, but Diggs (three catches for 60 yards) was just one of four pass-catchers who had 40+ yards in the Wildcard Round. Dawson Knox – 89 yards and two touchdowns – led the way and will have a key role to play again on Sunday as an outlet for Allen.

One of the major developments for Buffalo over the latter part of the regular season was Devin Singletary’s emergence as a backfield threat. He ran for 81 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries against the Patriots and should be productive against a Kansas City run defense that ranked as a middling unit during the regular season.

But the Bills’ defense should be the X-factor, having led the NFL in yards allowed per game during the regular season. Buffalo picked off Mac Jones twice last time out and its secondary is equipped to manage the deep threat of Tyreek Hill.

Micah Hyde was one of the heroes a week ago with his athletic touchdown-saving interception while fellow safety Jordan Poyer has also had a stellar year. That duo was a big reason that the Bills allowed just 17 points a game this season (best in the NFL).

With cold but not frigid weather due to roll into Kansas City on Sunday night, expect to see a well-executed defensive game plan from Buffalo, designed to frustrate Mahomes and take away his favorite targets. Edge-rusher Mario Addison (shoulder) is the only injury worry for the visitors and he is expected to be available.

Kansas City defense facing daunting task

Going from facing a pedestrian Pittsburgh offense to taking on this slick Bills juggernaut is likely to stretch the Chiefs’ defense to the limit. Kansas City’s biggest adjustment will need to be focused on handling Allen’s mobility, which opens up so much for the Buffalo offense.

The Chiefs had no answers for the Bills in their regular season matchup, which Buffalo won 38-20 in Week 5. Allen had two long touchdown passes that night, exploiting the Kansas City secondary – and that has to be the concern for Andy Reid heading into this Divisional Round showdown.

Keep in mind that the hosts’ defense is only a few weeks removed from surrendering 269 yards and three touchdowns to the Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase on a string of big plays. There will be plenty of pressure on Chavarius Ward and L’Jarius Sneed on the back end of the defense, especially if cornerback Rashad Fenton (back) is limited.

Offensively, the Chiefs worked their way into a nice rhythm against the Steelers and their 21-point second quarter was a flashback to the kind of scoring spurts that launched Mahomes’ career. They will need more of those fireworks on Sunday. While Hill and Travis Kelce both had strong outings, it was Byron Pringle’s two-touchdown night and a do-it-all performance from Jerick McKinnon that were the most encouraging signs.

With Buffalo’s speed and ability to create turnovers in the secondary, Mahomes’ decision-making will need to be spot on. That’s where simpler passes to McKinnon may be the high percentage play rather than taking deep shots into tight coverage. Kansas City turned the ball over four times against the Bills in Week 5 but has tightened up since then.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire is questionable with a shoulder injury picked up in Week 16 while Darrel Williams should be able to play through a toe issue. But expect McKinnon to shoulder most of the backfield work after piling up 142 scrimmage yards and a touchdown last weekend.

The NFL Divisional Round looks exciting and we are looking forward to plenty of Football action. Hopefully, our NFL picks and predictions are with good accuracy and the Football odds move in our direction.

In case you are wondering which are the best sportsbooks for Football betting we wrote a complete guide shortlisting the 4 best NFL sportsbooks to bet with.

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