Los Angeles Rams vs. Carolina Panthers Prediction & Best Bets (Saturday, January 10th, 2026)
The Los Angeles Rams will be huge 10.5-point favorites when they visit the Carolina Panthers to kick off the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend.
Carolina backed their way into the NFC South title, as they somehow won their division crown despite losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. Still, the Panthers have an amazing opportunity to host a playoff game at 8-9, especially since it’s against a team they beat during the regular season.
The Rams, on the other hand, get a second crack at a team they probably never should have lost to. L.A. bounced back from a recent rough patch to finish the year strong with a week 18 win, giving them the confidence they need to go take care of business in Carolina.
But will they? Especially considering where the spread is at, that’s a big question for sports bettors. I’ll help answer it as I break down the odds and key matchups en route to my top picks and a final Rams vs. Panthers prediction.
Game Info Snapshot
- Date & Location: Saturday, January 10th, 2026 | Kickoff at 3:30 pm (4:30 pm ET) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC
- Team records entering the game:
- Los Angeles Rams: 12-5
- Carolina Panthers: 8-9
- Odds (from DraftKings)
- Spread: Rams -10.5 (-110) | Panthers +10.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Rams (-600) | Panthers (+440)
- Total: Over 46.5 (-112) | Under 46.5 (-108)
The Rams vs. Panthers spread says it all; L.A. is fully expected to win this game, and the oddsmakers have priced it as if they’ll do so rather easily.
The moneyline is a bit outrageous for this game. Betting on the Rams at -600 is out of the question short of parlays, while the Panthers are somewhat interesting as +440 underdogs at home.
This is a healthy game total considering Carolina’s weak offense. The over/under clearly leans into the Rams being big favorites, suggesting they will put up a lot of points in a lopsided win.
Storylines to Watch
Let’s check out the key Rams vs. Panthers storylines to navigate before placing any bets on this Super Wild Card clash:
- Rematch: The first Rams vs. Panthers storyline to consider is that this is a rematch of a game we saw about a month ago. Carolina won that game in a surprising 31-28 shootout, possibly giving them the inside track on how to upset the Rams this week.
- Unlikely Host: The Panthers really shouldn’t be here, though. They finished the year at 8-9 and backed into the NFC South title despite their best efforts to miss the playoffs. The fact that they get to host a playoff game is rather obscene, but it’s still something they could use to their advantage.
- Davante’s Return: The Rams have been generating offense at a fine rate despite missing red-zone ace Davante Adams. He was pushing to play last week, so it’s quite possible he’ll be on hand to take on Carolina on Saturday.
- Super Bowl Run: The Rams are big favorites due to being the more talented team with the better record, but also because they have legit title aspirations. On paper, it seems highly unlikely they get tripped up by the Panthers, even on the road.
Team Profiles
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams looked like the best team in the league for a decent chunk of the season. They ended up missing out on the NFC West division crown, but that was only because of a late two-point conversion.
L.A. lost to a very good Seattle Seahawks team by just one point, while they haven’t lost a single game by more than a score on the year. That’s thanks to an elite offense paced by MVP candidate Matthew Stafford, as well as dynamic wide receivers in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Los Angeles slid to a 1-2 run down the stretch, but some of it was circumstantial. This still looks like a team capable of going on a run, and they’re unlikely to see their amazing season upended by the Panthers.
To get a better idea as to why that’s probably the case, let’s see where they’ve stood out in 2025:
- Air Assault: The Rams pass at a 57% rate (13th) and are led by Matthew Stafford’s elite anticipation and timing. Stafford’s 46 passing scores led the NFL and played into an offense that averaged 7.9 yards per pass (5th) and ranked #1 overall in passing yards per game.
- Running Smoothly: L.A. leans hard on their passing game, running just 42% of the time. However, their tandem of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum have been remarkably efficient, ranking 6th in yards per carry and also generating the league’s 7th best ground game despite modest volume.
- RZ Savants: The Rams are exceptional inside the red zone on both sides of the ball. Their dynamic offense closes out drives inside the 20 with a score 63% of the time (7th), while the defense holds opponents to a 46% scoring rate inside the 20 (3rd).
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers couldn’t finish the season with a winning record and really didn’t achieve this playoff spot on their own accord. However, they did have some strong wins during the regular season, and they still did enough to win their division and punch a playoff ticket.
Carolina is undeniably the weakest team in the NFC playoffs, but they still won eight games, nabbing wins over the Packers and these very Rams. The Panthers have also been rock solid (5-3) on their home field, while 2025 has been a season of growth for young franchise passer Bryce Young.
It’s still not very likely that we see the Panthers win this game – or even keep it close – but they’ve proven they can hang with L.A. Here are a few areas where they’ve stood out that could give them a shot at hanging around again on Saturday:
- Bend, Don’t Break: Carolina doesn’t have an elite defense, but it is one that does a solid job of slowing teams down inside the 20. The Panthers only allow a score 55% of the time in the red zone, giving them the 14th-best RZ defense on the year.
- Aggressive D: The Panthers don’t get a lot of pressure or stop the run, but they are an aggressive and opportunistic unit. They enter this matchup with the 7th-best interception rate and rank 10th in turnovers forced per contest.
- Max Protect: Carolina’s offense is very inconsistent and doesn’t grade out at an elite level in most key categories. They do a good job at protecting Bryce Young, however, as they have a 6.3% sack rate (14th), which is solid considering they throw the ball 54% of the time.
Key Matchups & Angles
Take a look at the top Rams vs. Panthers matchups:
- Rams’ pass rush vs. Panthers’ offensive line: Carolina does a solid job on the o-line, but they’re running into a good pass rush. The Rams have a 7.3% sack rate, which is the 10th best in pro football. Byron Young and Braden Fiske did register sacks in the first meeting, and both could be busy again in this one.
- Panthers’ ground game vs. Rams’ run defense: Carolina’s best bet to keep this game close is to get their running game going. Rico Dowdle has regressed considerably in terms of production, but he and Chuba Hubbard in theory still give Carolina a stable rushing attack. L.A. is pretty good up front, however, ranking 12th against the run and 1st in rushing scores allowed.
- Rams’ passing game vs. Panthers’ secondary: The Rams need to have success through the air to thrive offensively. Few defenses can bottle up Matthew Stafford and co., and Carolina isn’t one of them. Stafford did toss two picks in the first matchup, but Carolina’s 27th-ranked pass rush and 15th-ranked pass defense aren’t scary on paper.
Betting Trends & Odds Context
Take a look at the latest Rams vs. Panthers odds, per DraftKings:
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Rams | -10.5 (-110) | -600 | Over 46.5 (-112) |
Panthers | +10.5 (-110) | +440 | Under 46.5 (-108) |
Take a look at some key betting trends for this showdown:
- Public Betting: Despite being the more talented team, a thick spread has the Rams getting just 39% of the bets and 31% of the money.
- Record History: Carolina is ahead in the all-time series, 14-10. The Panthers stole a win in the most recent meeting, but are just 1-2 over the last three games vs. L.A.
- ATS Tidbits: The Rams have been excellent (12-5) against the spread, going 11-4 ATS when favored and 5-3 ATS on the road. Carolina (10-7) has also been quite good against the spread, going 9-5 ATS as the underdog and 5-3 ATS at home.
Best Bets for Rams vs. Panthers
Pick 1: Rams ATS -10.5 (-110) – 8/10 Confidence
Why We Like It
The Rams are going to leave no doubt in this one. Carolina tripped them up in the first meeting due to turnovers and sloppy play. The defense will be much stingier with higher stakes, while the return of Davante Adams should boost an offense that can cook Carolina without him.
Risks/What to Watch
This is still a road playoff game, and Carolina did beat the Rams this year. If Carolina can run the ball effectively and against force turnovers, they could beat the spread.
Pick 2: Over 46.5 (-112) – 7/10 Confidence
Why We Like It
The Rams own the best scoring offense in all of football and have realistic title dreams. They are going to come out and slice a middling Panthers defense up and do a lot of the heavy-lifting for a pretty tame total. The first meeting also totaled 59 points.
Risks/What to Watch
Again, it’s a road playoff game where defensive awareness is heightened. If Carolina can slow the game down, it’s possible they keep this one tight and low-scoring.
Pick 3: Prop Play – Davante Adams Anytime TD Scorer (-135) – 7/10 Confidence
Why We Like It
If Adams can make it back for this one, I envision him getting a score. He’s been away nursing his hamstring injury, but even if he’s not at 100% he can rely on his size and route-running in the red zone.
Risks/What to Watch
Obviously, Adams could still miss this game, be limited, or get hurt again if he does return. Touchdown variance can be unpredictable, too, so perhaps the scores for the Rams go to the running game or Nacua.
Rams vs. Panthers odds are shifting as bettors react to spread and total movement — track every line change, compare prices across books, and lock in the best value before kickoff at our top football betting sites.
Final Verdict: Rams Trounce Panthers, Advance to Divisional Round
Upsets are fun to try to predict, but this is a “don’t get too cute” spot for me. If you’re looking for a straight-up Rams vs. Panthers prediction, it’s easily that L.A. pulls out the win. Of course, their moneyline is disgusting, so you need to find something else for betting purposes.
Both teams have been very good against the spread, but the Rams have been better. They own the far more explosive and dynamic offense, and they also have the far nastier defense. I think we see both in a big way as the Rams dominate this game and make sure there’s no chance of an upset.
Even so, the Panthers should still get some points, and I like L.A. to crush here, so the Over also looks like a winning pick. Davante Adams should be part of the scoring barrage in his likely return, giving us three strong Panthers vs. Rams bets to build around headed into Super Wild Card Weekend.
Final Score Prediction: Los Angeles Rams 37, Carolina Panthers 13
