NFL predictions: Rams vs. Bears among best spread picks you can make for Divisional Playoffs

It's unlikely that we'll see another round of NFL Playoffs this week like we saw on NFL Wild Card Weekend, if only because there are fewer games. There were 12 fourth-quarter lead changes and four winning touchdowns in the final three minutes in the Wild-Card Round's six games. Three underdogs won outright, and it wasn't until Sunday night that a team covered the spread, when the New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3. The Houston Texans looked like they could struggle to cover Monday night before blowing the game open in the fourth quarter of a 30-6 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

The San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills all won as underdogs, and the Los Angeles Rams failed to cover as 10-point favorites in a 34-31 victory against the Carolina Panthers. Now the NFL Divisional Round is here, and the Rams are favored by 3.5 points against the Bears, while the Bills are 1.5-point underdogs at DraftKings against the AFC's top seed, the Denver Broncos. The 49ers are 7.5-point underdogs against NFC No. 1 seed the Seattle Seahawks, and the Patriots are favored by 3.5 points over the Texans in the NFL Divisional Round.

With so many of the Wild Card games coming down to the wire, it looks like parity might be at its peak. In these wide-open 2026 NFL Playoffs, you'll really want to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say about the best spread picks you can make in the NFL Divisional Round. The model picks every NFL game each week, and it enters the 2026 NFL Divisional Playoffs on a 53-37 run on top-rated NFL picks dating back to 2024.

Here's a look at our top NFL spread picks at DraftKings Sportsbook for the NFL Divisional Round Playoffs.

Best spread picks for Divisional Playoffs

Bears +3.5 vs. Rams

Take the Bears at DraftKings:

The Rams had a little more trouble than expected at Carolina, but Matthew Stafford threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns. He did suffer a finger injury, but X-rays were negative and he is expected to be ready. Chicago allowed the fourth-most yards in the league during the regular season and while quarterback Caleb Williams threw for 361 yards last week, 190 came in the fourth quarter and he threw two interceptions. The Bears are a strong second-half team and Stafford has struggled in cold weather, so the SportsLine model likes the Bears, who are covering in 53% of its simulations.

Seahawks -7.5 vs. 49ers

Back Seattle against the spread at DraftKings:

The 49ers have been fighting through injury problems since quarterback Brock Purdy suffered a toe injury in Week 1 against the Seahawks. The have since lost key pieces on both sides of the ball, including pass rusher Nick Bosa, tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner, while Purdy and All-Pro tackle Trent Williams have missed time. Now they face a Seattle team that had last week off and stifled them in a 13-3 victory two weeks ago to clinch the NFC West and top seed. Seattle has won seven straight games, by an average of 13 points, and is covering in 51% of the SportsLine model's simulations.

Texans +3 vs. Patriots

Take Houston to cover at DraftKings:

The Texans defense looked like a championship unit Monday night. The offense did not. Quarterback C.J. Stroud turned the ball over three times, but Houston rushed for 164 yards and the defense scored twice in the fourth quarter to put the game away. The Patriots showed Sunday night that they have a good defense of their own, battering Justin Herbert in sacking him six times and holding him to 159 passing yards. The Patriots outgained the Chargers 381-207. The SportsLine Projection Model has New England covering 51% of the time but sees Houston winning in 45% of simulations at +142 on the money line to offer more value.