For the first time since 2017, the Panthers are headed to the NFL playoffs — they will be hosting the Rams in the Wild Card Round.
A Falcons victory over the Saints delivered the Panthers their first NFC South title since 2015. They'll be hosting the Rams, who earned the fifth seed in the NFC after defeating the Cardinals on Sunday in conjunction with a 49ers loss to the Seahawks on Saturday.
Here are opening Rams vs Panthers odds for the NFL Wild Card Round of the playoffs next weekend.
Rams vs Panthers Odds
| Rams Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10 -110 | 46.5 -110o / -110u | -600 |
| Panthers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10 -110 | 46.5 -110o / -110u | +450 |
NFL Wild Card odds as of Monday at 12:01 a.m. ET.
Rams vs Panthers Wild Card Preview
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams sputtered to the finish line and fell short in their quests to win the division, claim the 1-seed, and likely the MVP race, but Los Angeles still boasts the metrics of the best team in the league.
The offense has lapped the field. The Rams lead the league in both rushing and passing DVOA, and rank as one of the finest offenses in DVOA history. Additionally, they should get Davante Adams and a couple key offensive linemen back for the playoffs, alongside Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua.
LA’s offense has the lowest variance in the league and is just consistently awesome across every down, every quarter, and in almost every game.
The Rams are also battle-tested. They played 13 of their 17 games this season against teams that won at least eight games and still dominated that much, and Stafford has by far the best EPA per play among quarterbacks against playoff teams.
The Rams were so dominant that they would be 12-4, even if you flipped their one-score results, best in the league. Los Angeles’ only four losses each came by three points or less, with a couple of wonky bounces and plays late in each.
Those losses count, though, and they mean LA will be on the road throughout the playoffs. And they’ve come in part because the defense has fallen off badly down the stretch, allowing over 29 PPG in Weeks 13–17. That defense will need to prove its mettle for the Rams to go on a Super Bowl run.
Carolina Panthers
This wasn’t exactly the path anyone expected, but the Panthers are the NFC South champion and will host a playoff game.
It took a Falcons win on Sunday over the Saints, who swept Carolina this season en route to a bottom-10 Panthers’ point differential at -69, the worst for any team in playoff history.
The Panthers haven’t won by more than a field goal since October, haven’t won by more than a touchdown since September, and haven’t won as favorites since the first few weeks of the 2021 season.
Carolina is the worst team in the NFL playoffs by margin. The Panthers would be 4-13, worst in the league, if you flipped their one-score results, and they went just 2-5 against playoff opponents, averaging 10.2 PPG in their losses with an average score of 28-14 in those games.
Carolina is one of the league’s most unpredictable teams, and will need some variance as a huge home underdog.
The pass defense has trended up with strong corner play, and the team relies on a run-heavy offense and improved play from quarterback Bryce Young.
