The NFL playoffs begin Saturday with a doubleheader that starts the race to the Super Bowl. With Super Bowl dreams on the line, every snap matters as veterans and young stars try to keep their seasons alive. Win and advance, lose and go home — January football doesn’t get better than this.
LA Rams @ CAR Panthers
The Rams, led by MVP-favorite Matthew Stafford, enter the playoffs as one of the best offenses in the league. They ranked 1st in PPG (30.5) and total yards per game (394.6), but fell short of the NFC West title and claimed the 5-seed.
The Panthers squeaked their way into the playoffs with an 8-9 record, winning multiple tiebreakers to take the NFC South. They successfully beat this Rams’ team in Week 13 as 10-point underdogs, and will hope to pull off the upset again on Saturday.
BEST BET = Colby Parkinson Over 19.5 Receiving Yards
Colby Parkinson has gained added targets over the past few weeks, averaging 5 targets per game in the last 5 weeks. He has eclipsed 20+ receiving yards in 7-consecutive games. Our model gives Parkinson an 88.33% chance of recording 20+ receiving yards on Saturday.
GB Packers @ CHI Bears
The Packers enter the postseason on a 4-game losing streak, one of those being against Chicago. Since losing Micah Parsons on defense, they have allowed 28.3 points per game. Even with their late season struggles, Vegas has them favored in this division rivalry.
Ben Johnson has completely turned this Bears team around. From 5-12 to 11-6 and the NFC North title. They have a top 10 offense (25.9 PPG), but a bottom 10 defense (24.4 OPPG). They split the season series with the Packers, with their win coming at home. Luckily, they get home-field advantage in this matchup.
BEST BET = Luther Burden III Over 39.5 Receiving Yards
Luther Burden has emerged in the second half of his rookie season, averaging 60.1 receiving yards per game since Week 10. In his only matchup against the Packers, he had 4 catches for 67 yards. Our model gives him a 68.25% chance to record 40+ receiving yards on Saturday.
