NFL Playoffs Odds Tracker: NFL Wild Card Weekend

Get set for the NFL Playoffs with a deep dive into the Wild Card Weekend odds from Michael Rathburn, who checks the NFL spreads movement for each game.
NFL Playoffs Odds Tracker: NFL Wild Card Weekend

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NFL Odds Tracker: NFL Wild Card Weekend Odds, Over/Unders and Spreads

The goal of this article is to look at the key line moves for the week and what they mean in terms of betting. Key numbers in the NFL to watch for are 3, 7, 6, 14, and 10. When a line crosses through one of these, it warrants significant attention. 

On the totals side, the key numbers are 41, 43, 37, 44, 51, 33, 47.  

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NFL Wild Card Weekend Odds 

Wild Card Weekend NFL Lines (odds via BetMGM)

*home team in bold

FavoriteUnderdogOpening LineCurrent LineIn Week MovementOpening O/UCurrent O/UMovement
LA RamsPanthersLAR -10.0LAR -10.50.546.546.50.0
PackersBearsCHI -1.5GB -1.0-2.546.545.5-1.0
BillsJaguarsBUF -1.5BUF -1.0-0.552.052.50.5
Eagles49ersPHI -3.5PHI -4.51.046.044.5-1.5
PatriotsChargersNE -4.0NE -3.5-0.545.546.00.5
TexansSteelersHOU -3.5HOU -3.0-0.539.539.50.0

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NFL Wild Card Weekend Odds Observations

  • The highest spread is Rams (-10.5) at Panthers 
  • The lowest spread is Packers (-1.5) at Bears and Bills (-1.5) at Jaguars 
  • 4 games have a line of 1.5-3.5 points or greater
  • The highest total game is Bills at Jaguars (51.5-52.0); the lowest total game is Texans at Steelers (39.5)
  • There are 4 home underdogs in Wild Card Weekend
  • There is a heavy concentration of totals between 45.0-46.5 points
  • The highest team totals are Rams, Bills, Jaguars, Patriots, Eagles, Bears
  • The lowest team totals are Packers, Chargers, 49ers, Texans, Panthers, Steelers

NFL Wild Card Weekend Line Movement

A quarterback is the only position that can significantly move an NFL point spread, and a top-tier QB can be worth up to seven or more points. For all other positions, the impact is minimal and usually less than a single point, unless multiple players on the same unit are injured. When a unit has multiple starters out, it is often overlooked in the handicapping world. OL, DL, secondary, and WR are the units that are impacted the most. 

You will not see very much line movement in the playoffs as these lines are only going to have a total of 6-7 days of shelf life. But each line move you see this week just means that much more so do not take a 0.5 or 1.0 line move lightly. 

Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers

You will not see a ton of line movement on these games, so anything that happens is significant. The key here is to reference any previous matchup this season and what the line was compared to now. Also, how is each team in the current scenario? How are they playing recently, are there any key injuries? 

The Rams were 4-4 on the road, but 7-1 at home and one of those road losses was to the Panthers 31-28. The Rams were -7.5 point road favorites at the Panthers, and they failed to cover, losing outright. The Panthers' strength has been as a dog at home, which they are now -10.0 - 10.5 point home dogs. So the Rams, who have not been playing well and lost to these Panthers, have now seen their line go from -7.0 to -7.5 all the way up to -10.0 and -10.5. 

The average Joe Public is convinced the Rams CANT lose again and the Panthers are bad. 

Something to consider is the Rams travel over the last few weeks - 4 out of their last 6 games on the road (at Carolina, at Arizona, at Seattle, at Atlanta) and now back to Carolina. 

The weather forecast is 70 degrees, 13 mph winds, with a 65 percent chance of rain.

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

The 2-seeded Bears were installed as -1.5 point home favorites, but the bettors have moved this line again in favor of the 7 seed Packers who are now -1.5 point road favorites. 

The total is 45.5 for this game. It was 43.5 and 44.5 in the previous two matchups this season with a 49 and 38 total score for a 1-1 record. I think we see this total dip based on the prior game in Chicago and the weather forecast.

The Packers were -6.5 point home favorites and got the cover in the first matchup in Green Bay 28-21. The Bears were the slight home dog in the 12/20 game in Chicago and got the win 22-16. 

The weather forecast is 34 degrees, with 17 mph winds and a 40 percent chance of snow.

Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars

The 3-seeded Jaguars are +1.0 to +1.5 point home dogs to the 6-seed Bills, which still feels off to me. But the sentiment is that bettors would rather back a proven quarterback in Josh Allen, as the Jaguars' history is also playing against them. There has been slight movement back on the Jags, and if I was predicting close line, I think we get this one at close to a PICK by kickoff. 

The Jaguars are on an 8-game winning streak, and lost one game at home to Seattle 20-12. 

The total is a huge number at 52.5 and the biggest one on the board this weekend. The recent trends on both teams have seen their games go over which accounts for the high number. 

The weather forecast is 63 degrees, with 8 mph winds and 12 percent chance of rain.

San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles opened as -3.5 point home favorites, and we have seen this line move to Eagles -4.5. The total has moved from 46 down to 44.5. The line moves appear to be due to the 49ers' injury situations.  

The Eagles are just 3-4 in their last 7, while the 49ers are 6-1 but did play a much weaker schedule. The Niners' health situation is a bit murky with Trent Williams, Fred Warner, Ricky Pearsall, and Brock Purdy still in question. 

The Eagles are 16-3 in their last 19 games at home. 

The weather forecast is 45 degrees, 12 mph wind, 9 percent chance of rain. 

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Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots

The 2-seed Patriots are -3.5 point home favorites against the 7-seeded Chargers, and the number has remained at the -3.5 opener. The sentiment in this game is that the Patriots have played one of the weakest schedules in recent memory and the Chargers have Jim Harbaugh/Justin Herbert with experience. 

The total has surprisingly gone up from 45.5 to 46.0 and 46.5 in some spots. Both teams rely on their running games and defense, so there could be an opportunity on the under here. 

The weather forecast is 36 degrees, 9 mph wind, and a 20 percent chance of rain.

Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers

The 5-seed Texans are 3.5-point road favorites against the 4-seed Steelers, and the line has fluctuated from -3.0 to -3.5 all week. The total of 39.5 is the lowest of any game on the board, and we could see this dip even lower by kickoff with a 31-degree weather forecast.  

The Texans' defense is the best in football, but this is a tougher matchup than what people might think. They could end up losing this game or going to the Super Bowl, which is an extreme range of outcomes.

Be aware of the Steelers' home record on Monday night (23 straight wins) and as home dogs under Mike Tomlin. But they have lost 5 straight playoff games. 

NFL Wild Card Weekend Injury Report

NAMEPOSTEAMSTATUS
Curtis SamuelWRBUFInjured Reserve
Ty JohnsonRBBUFQuestionable
Ed OliverDTBUFInjured Reserve
Matt PraterPKBUFQuestionable
Jordan PoyerSBUFQuestionable
DaQuan JonesDTBUFQuestionable
Terrel BernardLBBUFQuestionable
Joey BosaDEBUFQuestionable
Tershawn WhartonDTCARQuestionable
Robert RochellCBCARQuestionable
Claudin CherelusLBCARQuestionable
Bobby Brown IIIDTCARQuestionable
David MooreWRCARInjured Reserve
Robert HuntGCARInjured Reserve
C.J. Gardner-JohnsonSCHIQuestionable
Rome OdunzeWRCHIQuestionable
Ozzy TrapiloOTCHIQuestionable
Joe Tryon-ShoyinkaDECHIQuestionable
Nick McCloudCBCHIQuestionable
Ty SummersLBCHIQuestionable
Malik WillisQBGBQuestionable
Dontayvion WicksWRGBQuestionable
Zach TomOTGBQuestionable
Javon BullardSGBQuestionable
Bo MeltonCBGBQuestionable
John WilliamsGGBOut
Nick NiemannLBGBInjured Reserve
Kamari LassiterCBHOUQuestionable
Jamal HillLBHOUQuestionable
Trent BrownOTHOUQuestionable
Kaevon MerriweatherSHOUQuestionable
Jawhar JordanRBHOUQuestionable
Darrell TaylorDEHOUInjured Reserve
Ajani CarterCBHOUInjured Reserve
Patrick MekariGJACQuestionable
Cole Van LanenOTJACQuestionable
Jalen McLeodLBJACInjured Reserve
Jamaree SalyerGLACQuestionable
Elijah MoldenCBLACQuestionable
Omarion HamptonRBLACQuestionable
Bradley BozemanCLACQuestionable
KeAndre Lambert-SmithWRLACQuestionable
Kendall WilliamsonSLACQuestionable
Bud DupreeLBLACQuestionable
Donte JacksonCBLACQuestionable
Terrance FergusonTELARQuestionable
Jordan WhittingtonWRLARQuestionable
Davante AdamsWRLARQuestionable
Josh WallaceCBLARQuestionable
Kevin DotsonGLARQuestionable
Shaun DolacLBLARQuestionable
Quentin LakeSLARInjured Reserve
Rob HavensteinOTLARInjured Reserve
Jared WilsonGNEPQuestionable
Khyiris TongaDTNEPQuestionable
Robert SpillaneLBNEPQuestionable
Harold Landry IIILBNEPQuestionable
Alex AustinCBNEPInjured Reserve
Mack HollinsWRNEPInjured Reserve
Joshua FarmerDTNEPInjured Reserve
Jaelan PhillipsLBPHIQuestionable
Lane JohnsonOTPHIQuestionable
Dallas GoedertTEPHIQuestionable
Marcus EppsSPHIQuestionable
Nakobe DeanLBPHIQuestionable
Jalen CarterDTPHIQuestionable
Brett TothCPHIQuestionable
Grant CalcaterraTEPHIQuestionable
Brandon JohnsonCBPHIQuestionable
Jacob CowingWRSFInjured Reserve
Luke GiffordLBSFQuestionable
Fred WarnerLBSFInjured Reserve
Trent WilliamsOTSFQuestionable
Ricky PearsallWRSFQuestionable
Dee WintersLBSFQuestionable

Stay on top of the latest NFL injury news and other top NFL news here at Rotowire. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Known as “Rath” in the Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) community, he has helped run operations for two prominent daily fantasy sports startups. Michael has taken his insider knowledge and expertise in daily fantasy sports to the content side. Rath won the 2016 FSWA "Baseball Article of the Year, Online" award and was a finalist for the FSWA Best Baseball Series in 2011.
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