NFL: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
Jeff Hanisch

NFL Wild Card Weekend begins with a Saturday doubleheader and the action begins with the Carolina Panthers hosting the Los Angeles Rams at 4:30 p.m. ET. Then at 8 p.m. ET, the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers will meet in the postseason for just the third time in the 106-year history of their rivalry. The Bears will host but are 1.5-point underdogs in the latest NFL odds from DraftKings and the over/under is 44.5 points. Meanwhile, the Rams are 10.5-point road favorites in the early kick and the over/under for that matchup is 46.5. The SportsLine Projection Model is favoring the Rams and Bears against the spread and is also favoring one of Saturday's overs.

The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters the 2026 NFL playoffs on a 53-37 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024. Anybody following its NFL betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.

Saturday NFL best bets for Wild Card Weekend at DraftKings (odds subject to change): 

  • Rams -10.5 vs. Panthers (-110)
  • Over 46.5 in Panthers vs. Rams (-108)
  • Bears +1.5 vs. Packers (-112)

Rams -10.5 vs. Panthers (-110)

The Panthers (8-9) are only the fifth team in NFL history to make the NFL playoffs in a season that wasn't strike-shortened and now they'll host the NFL's best top-ranked offense to kick off the postseason. The Rams were one of three 12-win teams out of the NFC West and Matthew Stafford is the odds-on favorite to win NFL MVP honors. Carolina beat the Rams at home earlier this season, but the model predicts that the Rams cover in 53% of simulations this time around.

Over 46.5 in Panthers vs. Rams (-112)

The Los Angeles offense has been humming all season, as it averaged a league-leading 30.5 points per game. Meanwhile, the Rams' defense gave up 119 points over its final four games and surrendered 31 points in Carolina during their Week 13 matchup. The two teams combined for 59 points in that matchup and the model predicts they combine to score 48 points on average this Saturday.

Bears +1.5 vs. Packers (-112)

Chicago's miracle win overtime win against Green Bay in Week 16 won it the NFC North title and now the Bears get to host the Packers in the 213th edition of the NFL's oldest rivalry. The Packers should be healthier this time around, as Jordan Love was knocked out of that defeat. However, injured or not, closing out the regular season with four consecutive losses isn't confidence-inspiring. The model predicts that the Bears win outright and cover in 54% of simulations.