Wildcard Weekend opens with two intriguing Sunday matchups that contrast experience against opportunity. One features a road-tested Rams side trying to impose control in hostile territory, while the other renews one of the league’s oldest rivalries with genuine postseason stakes. These are the kinds of games where preparation, discipline, and quarterback play tend to outweigh raw talent.
NFL Week Wildcard Sunday Betting Tips
Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers
Sunday 8.30am (AEDT)
The opening game of Wild Card Weekend pairs one of the Super Bowl favourites against one of the most unlikely playoff teams in recent NFL history. The Carolina Panthers become just the fifth team to reach the postseason with a losing record in a full season, while the Los Angeles Rams arrive at twelve and five with legitimate championship expectations. On paper it looks lopsided, but a regular-season upset and a little historical precedent ensure this is not a total formality.
The Rams finished the regular season twelve and five and have been one of the most complete teams in football. Matthew Stafford is coming off what may be an MVP calibre season, orchestrating an offence that has consistently generated explosive plays and red zone efficiency. Sean McVay once again steered Los Angeles through injuries and adversity, finishing with one of the NFC’s best records and bringing extensive postseason pedigree into this matchup. With McVay owning a winning playoff record and a Super Bowl ring, Los Angeles enter with both talent and experience firmly on their side.
Carolina’s path is far less conventional. An eight and nine record and a minus sixty nine point differential underline how narrow their margin has been, but they did enough to sneak into the postseason. That includes a crucial Week 13 win over the Rams in a rain soaked game that ultimately made the difference between watching the playoffs and playing in them. Bryce Young was not spectacular, but the Panthers capitalised on three costly Stafford turnovers, including a pick six and a late strip sack, to steal a thirty one to twenty eight victory.
Health tilts this matchup heavily toward Los Angeles. Davante Adams is set to return after missing the final three games, and his availability dramatically changes the Rams offensive ceiling. Adams led the league with fourteen receiving touchdowns despite the missed time and gives Stafford a reliable option near the goal line while easing defensive attention on Puka Nacua. Carolina’s injury report is clean by comparison, but their offence still hinges on Bryce Young, who has rarely been able to pair high volume passing with wins. This will easily be the biggest game of his career, and a breakout performance would shift perceptions of his long term outlook.
Prediction: History offers Carolina some hope, with two previous losing record teams winning on Wild Card Weekend, including the Panthers themselves in 2014. Still, this feels like a different level of opponent. Los Angeles are healthier, deeper, and far more consistent, and it is difficult to see Stafford repeating his turnover heavy outing from the regular season. Carolina may keep this competitive early, but the Rams firepower and playoff experience should take over. I like the Rams to cover comfortably and advance with a controlled win.
Rams -10.5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
Sunday 12.00pm (AEDT)
It is rare for the Bears and Packers to be good at the same time, which is why this rivalry has only crossed into the postseason twice before, once as far back as 1941. That changes this year. Both teams enter the playoffs with momentum, belief, and familiarity, making this Saturday night matchup far more than a nostalgia play. This is a genuine heavyweight clash between evenly matched rivals who already know exactly how thin the margin is between winning and losing.
The regular season series delivered two instant classics. In Week 14, Green Bay survived a late Chicago surge when Caleb Williams was intercepted in the end zone on fourth down with 22 seconds remaining, sealing a 28 to 21 Packers win. Two weeks later, the Bears returned the favour in dramatic fashion. Trailing 16 to 6 late and with Jordan Love sidelined, Chicago pulled off a field goal, an onside kick, and a fourth down touchdown to force overtime, before a Packers fumbled snap set up a 46 yard walk off score from Williams to DJ Moore. If this third meeting lives anywhere near that standard, it will be one of the games of the postseason.
Green Bay enter with a 9 and 7 and 1 record and a major boost in availability. Resting starters in Week 18 proved valuable, with no players missing practice midweek. Jordan Love is back after missing time with a concussion suffered in the Week 16 matchup, and Josh Jacobs is no longer listed with a knee issue. That matters significantly given the Packers defensive injuries, particularly the season ending loss of Micah Parsons, which places more pressure on the offence to carry the load. Love’s efficiency this season has been strong, and Green Bay will likely need him sharp and assertive to advance.
Chicago finished 11 and 6 and arrive with confidence in their young core. Caleb Williams has shown poise beyond his years in pressure moments, and his chemistry with DJ Moore has been a stabilising force. The emergence of rookie tight end Colston Loveland late in the season has added another dimension to the offence, with back to back games over 90 yards. The Bears also expect reinforcements, with Rome Odunze trending toward a return and cornerback Kyler Gordon back in the mix, strengthening both sides of the ball for a playoff environment.
Prediction: This feels like the tightest matchup of Wild Card Weekend. Chicago have home field and momentum, but Green Bay’s extra rest and the return of Love and a healthy Jacobs could be decisive. The Packers are slight road favourites for a reason, and while either team could win, Green Bay’s offensive stability gives them a marginal edge. I’ll lean Packers 24 to 21 in another rivalry chapter decided by one or two plays late.
