The NFL’s Wild Card weekend gets under with a playoff matchup in the NFC between the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Rams and the third-seeded Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Los Angeles makes its return to the postseason after a two season absence. Carolina will compete in the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 campaign.
The Rams reached the postseason following a 12-5 season, including a loss to their playoff opponent on Sunday. Los Angeles lost two of its last three games, but finished on a high note following a win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18.
Carolina limped into the postseason after a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18, but the Atlanta Falcons punched a playoff date for the Panthers after dispatching the New Orleans Saints in the final weekend of the regular season. Carolina has lost three of its four contests, but the Panthers have a new life as a member of the NFL’s single-elimination tournament to crown a champion at Super Bowl LX.
NFC Wild Card: (5) Los Angeles Rams at (4) Carolina Panthers
Kick Off: 4:30 p.m. ET (Sat., 01/10/25)
Location: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
TV: Fox
Los Angeles records against the spread and the moneyline matches the Rams real-world record (12-5), while holding a winning mark (10-7) versus the over-under as well. Carolina enters their home playoff contest with a winning record against the spread (10-7), but features a sub .500 record against the moneyline (8-9) and over-under (7-10) in 2025.
| NFC Wild Card Odds: Rams at Panthers | |
| Spread | LAR -10.5 |
| Moneyline | LAR -620, CAR +460 |
| Over-Under Total | 46.5 points |
| Money Against the Spread | 53% CAR |
| Bets Against the Spread | 60% CAR |
| Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook | Odds are subject to change |
Los Angeles is listed as a significant road favorite with a 75% chance of victory on Saturday per ESPN.
Best bet: Matthew Stafford 275+ Rushing Yards
Matthew Stafford has eclipsed nearly 65,000 passing yards and 423 touchdown passes over his 17-year career. The three-time Pro Bowler arrived in training camp unsure if he would play for the Rams this season. The 37-year-old signal caller put up an MVP-worthy season with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown tosses as he secured Los Angeles return to the postseason.
Stafford has thrown for 2,996 yards with 19 touchdowns in 10 playoff games, including nine TD passes during the run to the NFL Title at Super Bowl LVI in 2022. The veteran signal caller needs 12 passing yards to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark in his postseason career in Los Angeles.
Carolina’s passing defense placed in the middle of the pack after allowing an average of 203.9 yards per game in 2025. The Panthers limited Stafford to 243 passing yards with two touchdowns in their meeting on Nov. 30, but Carolina created two key takeaways that helped to power their 31-28 win. If the Panthers can replicate their performance from Week 13, they could allow their own star QB (Bryce Young) to pull the first upset of the 2025 postseason.
| NFC Wild Card: Stafford Passing Yards at Panthers | |
| Stafford 225+ Rushing Yards | -320 |
| Stafford 250+ Rushing Yards | -168 |
| Stafford 275+ Rushing Yards | +114 |
| Stafford 300+ Rushing Yards | +198 |
| Stafford 325+ Rushing Yards | +350 |
| Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook | Odds subject to change |
Los Angeles enters their road matchup as an overwhelming road favorite against a Carolina squad who slipped into the postseason with a sub-.500 record (8-9). Stafford brings a championship pedigree that the Rams can lean on in difficult situations on Saturday, while the Panthers have a regular season win they can rely on to set up a good postseason gameplan. It’s hard to bet against Stafford in this one, but there is a case to put together a parlay featuring a Carolina win with +400 odds from most sportsbooks entering the weekend.
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