NFC Wild Card predictions: Who advances and who goes home
USA TODAY Sports Chris Bumbaca and Joe Rivera share who they think will make it out of the NFC Wild Card round.
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Welcome to the 2025 NFL playoffs.
The regular season has come and gone, narrowing the field of 32 teams down to just 14 as the fun begins. This year’s theme has been to expect the unexpected and one look at the bracket certainly conveys that message as well.
Super Bowl favorites like the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens didn’t even make the playoffs, paving the way for some new blood to take over the AFC. That will be on full display over the course of wild-card weekend, which provided quite the menu of games for fans to enjoy over the course of three days.
The Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers get things started on Saturday, Jan. 10, in the early game, followed by the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers renewing their rivalry in the nightcap.
Then the action ramps up on the next day when the Jacksonville Jaguars host the Buffalo Bills, the Philadelphia Eagles take on the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Chargers travel to New England to battle the Patriots. Wild-card weekend wraps up with “Monday Night Football” when Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers host C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans.
Only three wins separate this 12-pack of teams from playing in Santa Clara, California for Super Bowl 60. Everyone has their take on how this postseason will play out. Here’s a look at how the experts and analysts see the wild-card weekend matchups going.
NFL wild-card games predictions, picks
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Monday, Jan. 5
Los Angeles Rams at Carolina PanthersDate: Saturday, Jan. 10Time: 4:30 p.m. ETLocation: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)TV: FoxStreaming: NFL+, Fox One, YouTube TV (NFL Sunday Ticket) or FuboSpread: Rams (-10)
∎ USA TODAY: Rams 27, Panthers 20
“Week 13 was probably the worst game of Matthew Stafford’s MVP-caliber season. Stafford committed three turnovers in the loss in which hardly anything went the Rams way. I predict the Rams take better care of the football and send the Panthers packing this time. Los Angeles is the more talented team. However, the Panthers have a lot of bulletin-board material because they are a big home underdog.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Rams 27, Panthers 17
“The Panthers beat the Rams on Nov. 30 at home, 31-28. Will we see a repeat of that game in the NFL playoff opener? Don’t count on it. Los Angeles’ defense with smother Bryce Young and Matthew Stafford will pick apart the Carolina secondary to lead the Rams to the second round of the NFL postseason.”
Green Bay Packers at Chicago BearsDate: Saturday, Jan. 10Time: 8 p.m. ETLocation: Soldier FieldTV: NoneStreaming: Amazon Prime VideoSpread: Bears (-1)
∎ USA TODAY: Bears 24, Packers 23
“It’s a division game in the playoffs. If the first two games these two teams played in the regular season were any indication, this one is also coming down to the wire.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Bears 24, Packers 21
“This will be the third meeting between the NFC North foes this season, with each team winning at home in the previous two matchups. We don’t see that changing in the third. Caleb Williams will make a big play late to help Chicago outduel Jordan Love and the Packers in a wild-card thriller.”
Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville JaguarsDate: Sunday, Jan. 11Time: 1 p.m.Location: EverBank StadiumTV: CBSStreaming: NFL+, Paramount+, YouTube TV (NFL Sunday Ticket) or FuboSpread: Bills (-1.5)
∎ USA TODAY: Jaguars 31, Bills 24
“The Jags have the home-field advantage and the Bills have the best player. It’s a team game though and Jacksonville is set up perfectly to exploit Buffalo’s weaknesses.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Jaguars 27, Bills 24
“Buffalo has more postseason experience, but Jacksonville is at home and has a lot of momentum. It will keep that momentum going for another week in an upset win.”
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San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia EaglesDate: Sunday, Jan. 11Time: 4:30 p.m.Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)TV: FOXStreaming: NFL+, Fox One, YouTube TV (NFL Sunday Ticket) or FuboSpread: Eagles (-4.5)
∎ USA TODAY: Eagles 26, 49ers 17
“The Eagles have the defensive edge and will take advantage of the 49ers’ mediocre stop unit. The Eagles offense has been up-and-down at times, but should be able to consistently put points on the board against the 49ers, who finished 27th in defensive DVOA. The Eagles have home-field, rest and health advantages in this one and are set up to exploit San Fran’s weaknesses. Sirianni and Hurts are 5-0 at Lincoln Financial Field in the postseason and stay undefeated after Sunday.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Eagles 23, 49ers 20
“The Eagles won the Super Bowl last season as the No. 2 seed in the NFC and they defeated the Green Bay Packers in the first round, 22-10. They are the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff bracket this year and will have a much more difficult time against a banged-up 49ers squad, but Jalen Hurts and company will still eke out a close win over Brock Purdy and San Francisco with a late score.”
Los Angeles Chargers at New England PatriotsDate: Sunday, Jan. 11Time: 8 p.m.Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Massachusetts)TV: NBCStreaming: Peacock, FuboSpread: Patriots (-3.5)
∎ USA TODAY: Chargers 23, Patriots 22
“Upset of the weekend? Justin Herbert’s never won a playoff game. Drake Maye’s never played in a playoff game. The Chargers have the NFL’s worst pass block win rate and rank second to last in run block win rate. However, the Patriots don’t have a formidable pass rush. Herbert and the Chargers make enough plays to pull off the biggest upset of wild-card weekend.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Patriots 28, Chargers 20
“The New England defensive line should be able to pressure Justin Herbert into some mistakes and New England’s efficient offense will take advantage of those Chargers mistakes, sending the No. 2 AFC seed into the Divisional Round with a win over Los Angeles.”
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Houston Texans at Pittsburgh SteelersDate: Monday, Jan. 12Time: 8 p.m.Location: Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)TV: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2Streaming: ESPN Unlimited or ESPN Select, FuboSpread: Texans (-3)
∎ USA TODAY: Texans 21, Steelers 19
“While the Steelers may be able to keep Monday’s game close, the Texans should find a way to win it. They have the better balanced squad and their top-ranked defense is the best unit set to participate in the wild-card weekend finale. Expect Houston to prevail in a tight, ugly finish to ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Football’ slate for the 2025 NFL season.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Texans 21, Steelers 17
“Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers were very fortunate to make the NFL postseason, but now run into a Houston team that has won nine games in a row. Their good fortune will run out. The Texans’ elite defense will be a key factor and C.J. Stroud will do enough to send Houston to the Divisional Round of the NFL postseason for the third straight season.”