The stage is officially set for the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs in the 2025-26 season, and for the first time in a really long time, the playoffs will not include the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, or Joe Burrow.
We're living in some wild times these days.
As crazy as it's going to be to have a postseason without some of the biggest superstars at the quarterback position, it sets the stage for other young stars to write their own stories. Wild Card weekend is always a loaded weekend of football, so let's not waste any time looking into the old cyrstal ball. Which teams are getting wins this weekend?
NFL picks and score predictions for every Wild Card round matchup
(5) Los Angeles Rams @ (4) Carolina Panthers
Saturday, January 10, 4:30 PM ET
This is one of the most hilarious matchups of Wild Card weekend, and it's the first matchup on the docket. Let's start off by talking about how we got to this game even being a possibility in the first place.
The Panthers got beat by the Buccaneers on Saturday night, which ended up not mattering at all, even though that game was being touted as a "for the division" type of game. Because the Rams lost in a stunner on Monday night last week to the Falcons, it ended up breathing new life into the Panthers' playoff hopes.
Even with a loss to the Bucs on Saturday, the Panthers rejoiced as the Falcons beat the Saints in Week 18 to send Carolina into the postseason as a division champion. Their prize is the opportunity to host the Los Angeles Rams, who might be the best Wild Card team to come out of either conference.
The Rams are just an absolutely absurd 10.5-point favorite on the road in this one, and what's funny about this particular matchup is that the Panthers have already beaten the Rams in Carolina this year. But can lightning strike twice in the same spot for this team?
I don't know that anyone is really banking on that happening. As fun as it would be to see the Panthers pull off an upset, the Rams are winning this one barring a total collapse offensively.
Prediction: Rams win 31-20