The NFL playoffs are here, and with them comes a unique predictions challenge. YSL News Sports is launching a pick ’em contest that features a match-up between Man, Machine, and a Dog.

Let’s begin with the dog.

Meet Luna, a lively 7-year-old Maltipoo known for her playful spins and jumps into laps. She’s not one to take part for nothing. According to Luna’s predictions, the Kansas City Chiefs are set to claim victory once again. She will face stiff competition, just like the Chiefs.

Competing against her are YSL News’s NFL writers, Jarrett Bell and Tyler Dragon, both of whom are well-versed in the game.

Also in the mix is The Machine: a predictive model powered by computer algorithms, crafted by Kostas Pelechrinis, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

How Scoring Works

Created by NFL predictions expert David Glidden, the scoring system will function as follows:

Every week, the competitors will submit their complete brackets, making picks for each round of games, culminating in the Super Bowl. Achieving a flawless bracket from start to finish would garner 1,000 points, though participants will likely need to tweak their selections as the playoffs progress.

Points will be awarded as follows: 30 points for each correctly chosen wild card game winner, 35 points for a Divisional round winner, 50 points for the Conference championship victor, and 75 points for the Super Bowl champion.

Ultimately, we will determine the champion of our exciting contest and solve the burning question: Who can we depend on more for NFL playoff predictions—Man, Machine, or Dog?

Let the competition and predictions commence!

Betting Odds for Wild Card Weekend

For those interested in the odds from online gaming platforms for this weekend, BetMGM reported slight changes in its betting lines by Wednesday morning regarding two of the six wild card match-ups. A plus sign indicates how much profit can be made on a $100 wager, while a minus sign shows how much must be bet to win $100.

AFC Wild Card Game Odds

Chargers (-160) are favored by 3 points against Texans (+135)

Steelers (+425) visit Ravens (-600), who are favored by 10 points

Broncos (+350) take on Bills (-450), who are favored by 9 points

NFC Wild Card Game Odds

Packers (+195) face off against Eagles (-250), who are favored by 4.5 points

Commanders (+140) will compete against Buccaneers (-165), who are favored by 3 points

Vikings (-110) meet Rams (-110) in a tight match, favored by just 1 point