The Carolina Panthers’ 31-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13 does feel like a long time ago as the two teams meet in the second game of Wild Card Weekend on Saturday, January 10 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Los Angeles is a road favorite, Carolina is limping into the playoffs, and my early Rams vs. Panthers predictions and the NFL Draft call for Los Angeles to leave the Tar Heel State with a convincing win to start the postseason.
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Rams vs Panthers Prediction
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Early Lean |
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Spread prediction: Rams -10.5 |
<<-108>> |
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Overall forecast: Below 46.5 |
<<-110>> |
Here are our initial thoughts on the handicaps and totals for this week’s games. We’ll have a full game preview (with best bets and SGP) later this week.
Early Rams vs. Panthers pick spread: Rams -10.5
-108 on FanDuel
I have no confidence in the Carolina Panthers pulling off an upset at home on Sunday afternoon, so the only question is, how many points is too many compared to the Los Angeles Rams?
This is not too much.
Carolina limped into the playoffs with a 1-3 record after a Week 14 bye, and the Panthers ranked 25th in DVOA at minus-69 points.
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For the Rams, it’s a different story.
Los Angeles didn’t have smooth sailing either, but still finished the year with a 172-point deficit while ranking second in DVOA. Los Angeles also leads the NFL in points per game (30.5), while Carolina ranks 27th (18.3).
The underlying numbers paint a similar picture.
Carolina ranks 26th in EPA per game while ranking 10th in points allowed, while Los Angeles ranks second and seventh-low respectively.
And of course, there’s quarterback talk.
Rams veteran Matthew Stafford is the betting favorite in the NFL MVP odds, and Panthers quarterback Bryce Young ranks below average in combined EPA+CPOE, completion rate and yards per attempt.
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This will also be Young’s first postseason start, while Stafford has made 10 postseason starts.
Early Rams vs. Panthers overall picks: Under 46.5
-110 on FanDuel
I don’t expect the Carolina offense to have enough success against Los Angeles to score enough points to eclipse that number.
The Rams should take a comfortable lead early and shift to cruise control on offense, while their defense will force the Panthers to become one-dimensional on offense and rely on Young for their aerial attack.
Los Angeles generated pressure at the seventh-highest rate during the regular season, although they also blitzed at the second-lowest rate, so the Rams will give Young trouble as Carolina ranked 30th in pass-blocking rate.
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The Rams also ranked first in PFF run defense grade and seventh in run defense DVOA during the regular season while ranking sixth in rushing success rate.
Rams vs Panthers odds
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Rams vs Panthers Score: Black Panther +10.5
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Rams vs. Panthers moneyline: Rams -500, Panthers +385
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Rams vs. Panthers Over/Under:46.5
How to watch Rams vs. Panthers game
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date: Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 4:30 pm ET
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site: U.S. Bank Stadium
Odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Not available for MA.
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This article was originally published on Covers.com, read the full article here
