The Wild Card round kicks off with its biggest mismatch, sending the Rams to Carolina to face the Panthers.
With little resistance expected from the home side, my Rams vs. Panthers predictions and NFL picks favor Los Angeles to cover and advance to the divisional round on Saturday, January 10.
Rams vs Panthers prediction
Rams vs Panthers Best bet: Rams -10.5 (-112)
There’s a mismatch on both sides of the ball in this Wild Card bout, and the Carolina Panthers aren’t going to keep pace with — or cover the spread — against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.
Carolina finished 25th in DVOA with a minus-69 point differential, and Los Angeles ranked second with a plus-172 mark, after all.
I also value the postseason experience of Rams MVP candidate Matthew Stafford, while Panthers QB Bryce Young is making his first playoff start against the fourth-ranked defense in DVOA and finished 20 spots below Stafford in EPA+CPOE composite during the regular season.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account
Rams vs Panthers same-game parlay
In addition to the weather forecast looking unfavorable, the Los Angeles defense is going to give the Carolina offense too much trouble for the Black Cats to put up enough points for this Over to hit.
Los Angeles generated pressure at the seventh-highest clip during the regular season despite blitzing at the second-lowest rate, so I expect the Rams to make life uncomfortable for Young with the Panthers ranking 30th in pass block win rate.
Turning to Los Angeles running back Kyren Williams, while he’s failed to find the end zone in three consecutive games, I’m anticipating him returning to pay dirt Saturday.
The Panthers allowed 10 touchdowns to opposing rushers across their final seven games, and Williams scored in six of seven games before the highlighted three-week drought.
Rams vs Panthers SGP
- Rams -10.5
- Under 46.5
- Kyren Williams anytime touchdown
Our big-ticket SGP: Rams run rampant
The Rams have been giving No. 2 running back Blake Corum more and more work down the stretch, and he’s piled up an average of 67.5 rushing yards per game while scoring in four of six since Week 13.
Rams vs Panthers SGP
- Rams -10.5
- Kyren Williams anytime touchdown
- Blake Corum anytime touchdown
- Blake Corum Over 40.5 rushing yards
Rams vs Panthers game predictions
Rams vs Panthers moneyline prediction
The Rams are the largest NFL playoff road favorite in the Super Bowl era, so I don’t have any confidence in the Panthers pulling off the upset Saturday evening. These -700 FanDuel odds give Los Angeles an implied probability of winning of 87.5%, too.
Rams vs Panthers spread prediction
In addition to the highlighted cases for Los Angeles, I also value the Rams and head coach Sean McVay hitting Bank of America Stadium with an active 17-5 record against the spread. Los Angeles is also a candidate for six-point teasers with the spread dropping well below the key number of 7.
Rams vs Panthers Over/Under prediction
I expect Los Angeles to be able to pull away and then turn to the running game to control the time of possession and keep the clock churning to help this total go Under the number. The Panthers ranked 24th in run defense DVOA while allowing the sixth-highest EPA per rush, and the Rams rushed for 153 yards against the Cats in Week 13.
Rams vs Panthers odds
- Spread: Rams -10.5 | Panthers +10.5
- Moneyline: Rams -650 | Panthers +480
- Over/Under: Over 46.5 | Under 46.5
More NFL picks and odds from Covers
Rams vs Panthers trend to know
The Los Angeles Rams have covered the spread in 17 of their last 22 games (+11.45 Units / 47% ROI). Find more NFL betting trends for Rams vs. Panthers.
How to watch Rams vs Panthers
| Location | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC |
| Date | Saturday, January 10, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 4:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | FOX |
Rams vs Panthers latest injuries
Rams vs Panthers weather
Monitor gametime conditions with our live NFL weather info and learn how weather impacts NFL betting.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
