NFL Playoff Schedule: Wild Card Weekend Kicks Off With High Stakes Rematches
THE ESSENTIALS
- Saturday Doubleheader: The Los Angeles Rams face the Carolina Panthers at 4:30 PM ET (FOX), followed by the Green Bay Packers at the Chicago Bears at 8:00 PM ET (Amazon Prime Video).
- Postseason Stakes: The Seattle Seahawks hold the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye, awaiting the lowest remaining seed for the Divisional Round at Lumen Field.
- Betting Outlook: Los Angeles enters Charlotte as a massive -10.5 favorite, while the historic Packers-Bears rivalry sees Green Bay as a slim -1.5 road favorite.
The NFL playoff schedule officially ignites today as the road to Super Bowl LX begins with a high-octane NFC doubleheader. While the Seattle Seahawks rest as the conference’s top seed following a dominant 14-3 regular season, the rest of the NFC field must navigate a treacherous Wild Card weekend. Today’s slate features a redemption-seeking Los Angeles Rams squad traveling to face the Carolina Panthers, followed by a primetime clash between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. For fans and bettors alike, these matchups represent more than just elimination games; they are the culmination of season-long rivalries with massive implications for the divisional round bracket.
Rams Seek Redemption in Charlotte
The first window of the NFL playoff schedule sends the Los Angeles Rams (12-5) to Bank of America Stadium to face the Carolina Panthers (8-9). Despite Carolina’s losing record, they enter the postseason as the NFC South champions and the only team to truly puzzle Matthew Stafford this season. In their Week 13 meeting, the Panthers stunned the Rams with a 31-28 victory, a game defined by a -3 turnover margin for Los Angeles.
“We know what happened in December,” one Rams veteran noted during midweek practice. “The postseason is about erasing those anomalies and playing clean football when the lights are brightest.”
The Rams are currently favored by 10.5 points, a line that reflects their status as the league’s most productive offense, averaging 30.5 points per game. Stafford, who led the NFL with 46 touchdown passes, is expected to test a Panthers secondary that has struggled with consistency but remains opportunistic.
Historic Rivalry Takes Center Stage at Soldier Field
As the sun sets, the NFL playoff schedule shifts to the “Windy City” for the latest chapter in the league’s oldest rivalry. The Green Bay Packers (9-7-1) visit the Chicago Bears (11-6) in a game that feels like a toss-up. Although the Bears finished with a superior record and secured the home-field advantage at Soldier Field, oddsmakers have installed the Packers as a 1.5-point favorite.
History weighs heavily on this matchup. The Bears have not defeated the Packers in a postseason setting since 1941. However, Chicago enters the night with momentum, led by rookie sensation Caleb Williams, who threw for nearly 4,000 yards in his debut campaign. The Packers, conversely, stumbled into the playoffs on a four-game losing streak, including a critical loss to these same Bears.
Statistical Breakdown: Wild Card Saturday
| Team | PPG (Rank) | Passing YPG | Key Player |
| LA Rams | 30.5 (1st) | 268.1 | Matthew Stafford |
| CAR Panthers | 18.3 (27th) | 179.3 | Bryce Young |
| GB Packers | 23.0 (16th) | 212.8 | Jordan Love |
| CHI Bears | 25.9 (9th) | 225.1 | Caleb Williams |
Data from the regular season suggests a clash of styles. The Rams rely on an elite passing attack, while the Bears boast the league’s 3rd-ranked rushing offense, led by D’Andre Swift. For the Packers to advance, their defense must improve on its 18th-ranked rush defense, which allowed 150 yards to Chicago in their previous encounter.
The Ripple Effect: Seahawks Loom in the Distance
This weekend’s results will directly dictate the travel plans for the Seattle Seahawks. As the No. 1 seed, Seattle will host the lowest-seeded team to emerge from the Wild Card round. If the Packers (the No. 7 seed) pull off the road upset against the Bears, they are guaranteed a trip to Lumen Field for the Divisional Round.
The 12th Man is watching closely, as the Rams also represent a familiar foe. A Los Angeles victory today would set up a potential third meeting between the NFC West rivals in the next round, provided other results fall into place. The intensity of these Saturday games serves as a barometer for the physicality expected in the weeks to come. In the high-stakes environment of the NFL postseason, today’s winners won’t just survive—they’ll carry the momentum needed to challenge the conference’s elite.
AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES
- NFL Official Site: NFL Wild Card Schedule and Playoff Bracket
- FOX Sports: Rams vs. Panthers Odds and Predictions
- National Football League (Schedule): Full Playoff Dates and Kickoff Times
