The 12-5 Los Angeles Rams travel to Carolina to face the 8-9 Panthers on Saturday in the first of six NFL wild-card games this weekend. This is a rematch from a Week 13 game in which Carolina defeated Los Angeles 31-28 thanks to three touchdown passes from Bryce Young and two interceptions from Matthew Stafford.
The Rams are a historic double-digit road favorite in this game. Will they advance to the divisional round again this year or lose again to the Panthers in Carolina?
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Ben Fawkes gathers quotes from oddsmakers for all the games and our team of NFL handicappers provides their favorite wagers on the game.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM.
What oddsmakers are saying: «This is our No. 1 power-rated team with the Rams. We opened -10, now sitting at -10.5. That was the ultimate NFC South way to get into the playoffs for Carolina. Seeing more Rams action here, and I don’t anticipate that to change. We’re seeing a little bit of money on Panthers money line, with people wanted to take a shot at a longer number. Closer to game-day I think we’ll get some sharp action on Panthers +10.5.» — Joey Feazel, head of NFL trading at Caesars Sportsbook
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Best bet
Matt Jacob: Back on Nov. 30, the Rams took a 9-2 record and a six-game winning streak to Carolina. They departed with a 9-3 record and a one-game losing streak after falling 31-28 as a 10-point road favorite.
Now Los Angeles returns to the scene of one of the season’s biggest upsets, this time for a win-or-go-home playoff game — and this time as a 10.5-point road favorite.
That price may seem a bit steep to some. After all, beginning with the Week 13 loss in Carolina, the Rams split their final six regular-season games (including losing three of four on the road).
Here’s the counterargument: The Panthers didn’t capitalize on the upset of L.A., dropping three of their final four games, finishing 8-9 and needing Atlanta to hold off New Orleans to claim the putrid NFC South due to a tiebreaker.
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Over the final four games, Carolina’s offense put up just 16 points per game; conversely, MVP frontrunner Matthew Stafford and the Rams averaged 35.1 PPG over their final seven contests. In fact, Los Angeles tallied at least 28 points in nine of its final 11 games.
With wide receiver Davante Adams set to return after missing the final three regular season games with a hamstring injury, the Rams’ explosive offense will be operating at full capacity. Yes, soggy weather is in the forecast for Saturday, but I don’t expect it to impact Los Angeles’ offense at all.
If anything, wet conditions are more likely to pose a problem for Carolina’s plodding offense. Look no further than last week in Tampa Bay, where a first-half downpour made a mess of the field and the Panthers produced just two touchdowns (the first of which was set up by a turnover deep in Buccaneers territory).
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Keep this in mind, too: Of the Rams’ 12 victories, eight were by two touchdowns or more (including four on the road). Meanwhile, Carolina had five double-digit losses (including three at home).
Bet: Rams -10 (-110)
