NFL Football BETTING PREVIEW - Los Angeles Rams @ Carolina Panthers

NFL Football

2026-01-10 - Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers

A Sports Betting Preview by FirstDown

Los Angeles Rams @ Carolina Panthers
United States : NFL Playoff Wild Card Game
Saturday 10th January 2025 - Scheduled 4:30pm
9:30pm (British Time)

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Preview

After the San Francisco 49ers were beaten on Saturday in Week 18, an opportunity arrived for the Los Angeles Rams (12-5) to move into the Number 5 Seed in the NFC. That would mean beginning the post-season at the home of the NFC South Winners rather than facing the Philadelphia Eagles or Chicago Bears and a blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals saw the Rams move up into this Seeding position.

It was also important to snap a two game losing run before the Playoffs, although the Carolina Panthers (8-9) will ultimately have been thankful for one of those Rams losses.

If Los Angeles had beaten Atlanta in Week 17, the Carolina loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would have meant elimination for the Panthers and the Buccaneers hosting this Wild Card Game. They still needed the Falcons to win out against the New Orleans Saints to finally begin to think ahead to the post-season for the first time in almost a decade, but Carolina have made it and will believe this represents a 'new season.

They have to think that way after the Panthers closed the regular season with three losses in four games, including consecutive defeats.

One of those losses was to the Seattle Seahawks as Carolina were beaten by 17 points in the last game of the regular season, but the Panthers should not be intimidated by facing the Los Angeles Rams considering they upset this opponent in the regular season in November.

It was a day when one of the leading contenders for the regular season MVP, Matthew Stafford, was responsible for three turnovers and that was a decisive factor in what turned out to be a 3 point loss right in this Stadium. The Rams were 9.5 point favourites on that day, but the spread has actually moved another point in their favour despite the defeat and that is a number that will be very tough to cover.

Over the course of the season, the Rams have played well Defensively, but they struggled to find the right balance on this side of the ball in the loss to Carolina.

The key to beating the Panthers is stopping the run, but the Los Angeles Defensive Line have finished the season looking vulnerable and that is something that the home team are going to be wanting to expose. With a Quarter Back lacking Playoff experience, the Panthers will want to control the clock and tempo of this game, while also making sure Bryce Young is not feeling too much pressure trying to convert from third and long spots.

There has been plenty to like from Bryce Young this season after looking like a bust, but the young Quarter Back has still been inconsistent, while the Los Angeles pass rush will be looking to unleash if they can force the Panthers behind the chains. Being able to do that should help slow this opponent down, but the key is at the Line of Scrimmage and finding a way to clamp down on the rush.

Bryce Young did throw 3 Touchdowns without an Interception in the upset of the Rams earlier this season, but it may be tough to replicate that now that the Rams Secondary will be more ready to deal with what this Quarter Back can throw at them.

The Rams also have to expect veteran Quarter Back Matthew Stafford to have a much cleaner game all around and there will be a real feeling that Los Angeles can find plenty of balance on this side of the ball.

Running the ball will just make sure the passing lanes remain open, although it is clear that the Rams will go as far as Matthew Stafford can take them.

Importantly key players are returning for the Playoff push with Davante Adams back to give Stafford another big option in the passing game and that will aid the Rams who have to respect how the Carolina Panthers Secondary were playing to close out the season. They limited Baker Mayfield (twice) and Sam Darnold in the passing game in the last three games, but Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams are another big test and this is a team that have been very good at throwing the ball all season.

The Rams also have the experience edge and it should be noted that first appearances in the Playoffs for Quarter Backs have been hugely challenging- those that have been set as the underdog, like Bryce Young, are just 14-22-1 against the spread in this spot, while those Quarter Backs are also just 23-43-1 against the spread when facing an opponent with a Quarter Back that has played in the post-season previously.

Last season the Texans showed that a Head Coach/Quarter Back combination who are both making first appearances in the Playoffs in those current roles can overcome the recent trend as they were able to upset the Los Angeles Chargers, but the Texans were more talented than this Carolina team have looked.

At the same time, you cannot ignore some recent big trends that make it less appealing to back the Rams here- road teams that have won at least 11 regular season games were just 1-3 against the spread in the Playoffs twelve months ago, while underdogs have been very productive in recent NFC Wild Card Games.

Road favourites are just 8-13-1 against the spread in the Wild Card Games played since 2008, which is hard to ignore, while hosts have been in very good form in the Saturday Wild Card Games in recent years with this being a 'short week'.

You would still expect the Rams to find a way to win here, but it does make asking them to cover a bit more of a question, especially with the line where it is.

However, Los Angeles do look the right side and outright winners have tended to cover far more often than not in recent Wild Card Games.

Conditions could be difficult for the Los Angeles Rams with the chance of there being rain and wind, but they should still have too much for a Panthers team that backed their way into the post-season. Add in the motivation to make up for the road loss in the regular season and it should be a clear thinking Los Angeles team arriving in Charlotte for this opening Wild Card Game and the Rams can win well.

Prediction

Lay the points with the road team, even at what looks to be a huge spread for any Playoff Game .

The Pick :

Carolina Panthers 17-30 Los Angeles Rams

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Los Angeles Rams - 10.5 Points at -105 with Bovada