Carolina Panthers vs. Rams: Who will win NFL playoff game? Our predictions, bets
Let’s run it back, shall we?
This time, though, in the playoffs.
The No. 4 seed Carolina Panthers (8-9) are hosting the No. 5 seed Los Angeles Rams (12-5) in the wildcard round of the NFL postseason in Bank of America Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. ET.
It’s the first playoff appearance for the Panthers since 2017 and the first home playoff game since 2015. It’s also a rematch from Week 13 — the game, some contend, when the Panthers asserted they were for real. Carolina turned MVP candidate QB Matthew Stafford over thrice and scored two touchdowns on gutsy fourth-down calls that game — with one of those touchdowns adding to Bryce Young’s 12 career game-winning drives.
It’s true these two teams are different than they were in late November.
Carolina certainly is. On one hand, the Panthers will be getting a ton of defensive playmakers who didn’t play in that first contest in Week 13. Those players include safety Tre’Von Moehrig, cornerback Jaycee Horn, linebacker Claudin Cherelus and linebacker Christian Rozeboom. On the other hand, the Panthers haven’t truly been able to establish the run in a month, and that was the key to dominating the possession battle and keeping the ball away from Sean McVay’s offense.
The Rams are different, too. Or at least they statistically should be. Los Angeles is No. 1 in pretty much every offensive category, according to Team Rankings, including points per game (30.5), yards per game (394.6) and touchdowns per game (3.8). The Rams are also Top 5 in turnover margin (that plagued them Week 13); they’re the least penalized team in the league; and they’re underrated as a rushing offense (126.6 rushing yards per game).
Here’s everything you should know ahead of the Panthers’ Saturday matchup with the Rams.
TV, radio broadcast information for Panthers-Rams
The Panthers’ playoff contest will be televised on FOX. Joe Davis will handle play-by-play duties, with former Panthers legend Greg Olsen as the analyst and former NFL official Mike Pereira as the on-site rules analyst. Kristina Pink and Pam Oliver will be on the field as sideline reporters.
Fans can listen to the game on the radio three ways:
- WRFX The Fox (WRFX 99.7 FM): Anish Shroff (pxp), Luke Kuechly, Jake Delhomme, Sharon Thorsland.
- National Radio (Westwood One Sports): Jason Benetti (pxp), Ryan Leaf.
- Spanish Radio (WXNC 97.3 FM, 1060 AM): Jaime Moreno (pxp), Antonio Ramos.
Betting information for Carolina’s playoff game
The Panthers are 10.5-point underdogs to the Rams in their home playoff game, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Taking the Panthers moneyline, coupled with a Carolina win, would give you a payout of +490. The Rams moneyline, meanwhile, is at -670. The over/under for the contest is 46.5.
The Panthers are 10-7 against the spread this season; the Rams are 12-5.
Here are some prop bets you might find intriguing:
- Xavier Legette — Alternative Receiving Yards: The Panthers have found a lot of success throwing it to Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan this year. And that has left some wondering: Where is Xavier Legette? This makes us feel like it might be a good time to bet on the Panthers’ 2024 first-round draft pick. His odds are pretty favorable, too: 20+ receiving yards (+122), 25+ (+174) ... 70+ yards (+1280).
- Matthew Stafford — Player Passing Yards: The Rams’ MVP-caliber quarterback said earlier this week that the full-strength Panthers’ secondary might just be the best he’s faced all season. High praise, which hints that he’ll have a good plan in place. Stafford’s over/under: 264.5 passing yards. High line, but still seems worth it.
- Rico Dowdle — Rushing + Receiving Yards: The Panthers’ star running back has been a huge threat this season, even if his production has tapered off the past few weeks. The lines are intimidating, though. He doesn’t reach plus money until he gets 70-plus scrimmage yards (+108). The others: 80+ (+174), 90+ (+265), 100+ (+390) ... 125+ (+880).
Our predictions: Who will win?
If The Observer’s panel of predictors were NFL teams, none would be in the postseason. Well, columnist Scott Fowler might — but he’d have to win a division like the NFC South. Fowler finished the regular season at 9-8. Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow, both at 5-12, have no chance of catching him. But they persevere nonetheless. Inspiring, really. Now onto this week’s picks.
Fowler: Panthers 26, Rams 24. “So you’re saying there’s a chance?” as Jim Carrey asks in “Dumb and Dumber.” Yes, I am. Not a great one, and everything would need to go just right for Carolina. But it did once, six weeks ago, against the same L.A. Rams team, and that’s not nothing. Of the three potential playoff matchups Carolina could have gotten against NFC West teams, this one is the most winnable. Give me the Panthers in a massive upset.
Kaye: Rams 31, Panthers 23. The Panthers need a lot to go right (again) to beat the Rams (again) in Carolina. Los Angeles is a different team on the road (7-1 at home vs. 5-4 traveling) and they’ve lost three East Coast trips this season. That said, the Rams are so balanced and talented on offense that their defense just needs to make a turnover or two to keep the opponent down. The team that stops the run and mitigates mistakes will win this one.
Zietlow: Rams 38, Panthers 28. Cornerback Mike Jackson said the Panthers can’t “chase” recreating their Week 13 win over the Rams. It’s a new pair of teams, he said — “a whole new day.” And that’s fair and true. What’s also fair and true: These Panthers aren’t who they were in Week 13 ... and they haven’t been for a while. The ardent fan can’t expect this running game to produce 164 yards in its current state; the reasonable fan of any NFL team can’t expect to go 10-for-18 on third- and fourth-downs, either. The only place of marked improvement someone could expect is on defense — but even then, the Panthers turned over MVP candidate Matthew Stafford thrice. Thrice! This has been a wonderful season. But this one just feels improbable.
This story was originally published January 10, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Carolina Panthers vs. Rams: Who will win NFL playoff game? Our predictions, bets."
