NFL Saturday wild-card bets: Can Panthers stun Rams again?
The playoffs are here! We had you covered from start to finish of the regular season, and now it's time to shift our focus to the postseason.
Sam Oshtry, Brenden Deeg, and Eric Patterson - the three you've been riding with all season - have challenged each other in a friendly betting competition. We'll each start the playoffs with $1,000 of play money and track every wager we place through the Super Bowl, practicing smart bankroll management while trying to hold the most money when the Lombardi Trophy is hoisted.
We'll cover every type of bet for each playoff game. Feel free to follow along and try to outperform our trio of writers.
Alright, let's get to our picks for Saturday's two-game slate!
π Check out all of the markets available for Saturday's wild-card games on theScore Bet here
Jump to: Bears vs. Packers
π Pick: Panthers +10.5 (-110)
Oshtry - Bet $50 to win $45.45
Maybe it's a trap, but this is too many points for a home team in the postseason. Home underdogs of four or more points in the playoffs are 9-0 against the spread in the last 50 years.
The Rams are significantly more talented and should easily move the ball versus the Panthers' average defense, but Carolina already upset Los Angeles on Nov. 30 and proved its offense can keep pace. Plus, the Rams have been slipping in recent weeks. They finished the season 1-2, with their lone win coming against the Cardinals, who remained in the game until the final quarter. Let's bank on Carolina to keep it somewhat competitive.
π Bet: Anytime TD (+260)
Deeg - Bet $15 to win $39
Even with Tyler Higbee returning in Week 18, Parkinson ran the most routes among tight ends (30) and the second most on the team against the Cardinals while playing 84% of the snaps. Parkinson has recorded eight touchdowns in his last eight games and leads the Rams in red-zone routes run (36) and targets (16) during that stretch.
π Bet: Anytime TD (+325)
Patterson - Bet $16 to win $52
Coker has three touchdowns in his last five games (60% hit rate), including one against the Rams in Week 13. Los Angeles gave up 0.94 touchdowns per game to opposing wide receivers in the regular season, making these +325 odds (23.5% implied probability) even more enticing.
π Bet: Longest reception over 26.5 yards (-110)
Oshtry - Bet $50 to win $45.45
The Panthers have an exploitable passing defense, which should lead to big-play opportunities for Nacua, who recorded a 31-yard catch in their first meeting. He's had a reception longer than 27 yards in five of his last seven games.
π Bet: Over 9.5 rushing attempts (-105)
Patterson - Bet $105 to win $100
This is by far my most confident bet of the day. Corum has surpassed this total in four of his last five outings, and the only time he didn't, the second-year back missed time with a sore ankle versus the Falcons. He's been extremely productive with his carries, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt, which ranks fifth in the NFL among running backs with at least 100 carries. There's no reason for Los Angeles to limit his usage.
π Bet: Over 36.5 receiving yards (-110)
Deeg - Bet $22 to win $20
The primary focus of Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula should be slowing down Tetairoa McMillan. Shula will likely roll coverage to McMillan's side all game, opening the door for Coker to see a good chunk of targets. Coker has exceeded this total in four of his last five appearances, including during a 74-yard performance against L.A.
π Bet: Over 19.5 receiving yards (-125)
Deeg - Bet $25 to win $20
I'm going to stack a Parkinson touchdown with his over in receiving yards, as this number feels too low. The 26-year-old has gone over this total in seven straight contests and nine of his last 11. From Weeks 7-18, he averaged 36.5 receiving yards per game and will face a Panthers defense that allowed the eighth-most receiving yards to tight ends in 2025.
π Bet: Over 11.5 rushing attempts + over 49.5 rushing yards + 1 touchdown (+586)
Patterson - Bet $10 to win $58.61
I'll take another swing at Corum having a big game with a parlay. He's registered 12 or more carries in three of his past five outings, rushed for at least 50 yards in four of his past six, and scored five touchdowns over the final seven weeks. The Rams are expected to win by roughly 10 points, so there could be a lot of clock-killing as the game winds down. That's when Corum can really get to work.
π Check out all of the markets available for Saturday's wild-card games on theScore Bet here
π Pick: Bears +1.5 (-115)
Patterson - Bet $23 to win $20
This game is essentially a pick 'em, but I'll side with the Bears getting 1.5 points at home. The Packers are losers of four straight and are limping into the playoffs. Key injuries on both sides of the ball make them a much different team than they were perceived to be at the start of the season. Plus, Jordan Love hasn't played since Week 16 and could be rusty to start this game.
Meanwhile, this is a different Bears team than that of years past, with an explosive offense (sixth in yards and ninth in points) and a defense that created the most turnovers this season (22). Love is susceptible to turnovers in the playoffs, having thrown five interceptions in three career postseason appearances. That could be the difference in what should be a tight battle.
π Bet: Over 45.5 total points (-105)
Deeg - Bet $42 to win $40
In a matchup featuring two teams that struggle to get after the quarterback, attacking the over is a great recipe for success. Chicago ranked 27th in pressure rate (31.6%) and 30th in total pressures (187), while Green Bay's recorded just three sacks since Micah Parsons' injury, which is dead last in the league during that stretch. On top of that, the Bears' and Packers' offenses ranked inside the top eight in EPA/play this year. Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur, two of the NFL's best offensive play-callers, are facing the opposing team's defense for the third time in six weeks. They'll have the answers to those units in a projected shootout.
π Bet: Anytime TD (+175)
Patterson - Bet $30 to win $52.50
The Bears conceded 1.24 touchdowns per game to opposing wide receivers (second most in the league), and the Packers' wideouts caught four in their two meetings against Chicago, with Watson accounting for two of those. He can beat defenders deep and is a jump-ball threat around the goal line, making him Love's go-to option in all areas of the field.
π Bet: Anytime TD (+360)
Deeg - Bet $20 to win $72
Even with Rome Odunze set to return, this is solid value for a wide receiver who's played over 84% of Chicago's offensive snaps this year. He recorded a touchdown along with 97 receiving yards when these teams met in Week 16, and Green Bay has allowed the fifth-most scores to wideouts.
π Bet: Anytime TD (+1200)
Oshtry - Bet $10 to win $120
Let's get crazy with a sprinkle on Zaccheaus, who's only caught two touchdowns this year. However, one was against the Packers. It's not completely uncommon for Caleb Williams to target him in the red zone. He's fourth on the squad in targets and earned five the last time Chicago played Green Bay.
π Bet: Over 18.5 rushing attempts (+100)
Oshtry - Bet $80 to win $80
Jacobs recorded 20 carries for 86 yards in the Packers' win over the Bears and ran 12 times for 36 yards in their loss. Green Bay must establish the run against Chicago's defense, which allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per contest. Jacobs should be in store for a monster day.
π Bet: Over 39.5 receiving yards (+105)
Deeg - Bet $30 to win $31.50
I like all of Reed's props in this one, but this over stands out the most. He eclipsed this number in three of the five games he started and finished in 2025, and Reed is Green Bay's best offensive weapon with the ball in his hands. Chicago's defense ranked 24th in dropback success rate while allowing the seventh-most receiving yards to wideouts in 2025.
Patterson - Bet $10 to win $103.44
π Bet: Over 5.5 receptions + over 99.5 receiving yards (+1034)
There's a good chance Burden is the best receiver on the Bears' roster, and with Odunze returning to the lineup (potentially less than 100%), you can get a discount on his props versus the Packers.
The rookie closed the regular season with six or more receptions in two of his final three games and exploded for 138 yards against the 49ers in Week 17. There's a reason this parlay is over +1000, but it's a good swing to take before the betting market realizes how good Burden actually is.
Odds and lines derived from theScore Bet sportsbook and are subject to change. Real money was not used to make these wagers on theScore Bet.
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