The NFC Wild Card round features 3 huge matchups packed not only with star power, but young talent and postseason drama as well.
Each game really highlights the contrasting styles each of these teams bring to the table and, of course, their respective storylines heading into the NFC Wild Card weekend.
From experienced quarterbacks to rising stars looking to leave their mark on football history, here's a closer look at the matchups.
The Green Bay Packers are coming into the playoffs with an 11-6 record, earning them the 7th seed in the NFC.
QB Jordan Love has been the centerpiece of their explosive offense this season as he’s thrown for 3,389 yards, 25 TDs, and 11 interceptions. His growth as a starter has been a big factor in Green Bay's success — most of those interceptions came early in the season, but he’s been growing.
Fortunately, Love benefits from a strong supporting cast, including RB Josh Jacobs, who tallied a whopping 1,329 rushing yards and 15 TDs on top of that. He was averaging a steady 4.4 yards per carry. Wide receiver Jayden Reed has also been a big-time contributor, reeling in 857 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns to boot.
That might sound like a solid team, but keep in mind that the Packers face a tough challenge in the Philadelphia Eagles, who finished the regular season as the NFC's #2 seed with a dominant 14-3 record.
Jalen Hurts has been nothing short of spectacular under center, throwing for 2,903 yards, 18 TDs, and just 8 interceptions while adding a rushing element with 345 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. Many are calling for him to be this year's MVP — he’s been that hot. The big downside is that he’s been out for a couple of weeks on concussion protocol so his status for this game is still up in the air.
The Eagles' balanced attack is bolstered by their star running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for an insane 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s been averaging an impressive 5.8 yards per carry and we don’t see him slowing down. Wide receiver A.J. Brown also shined a bit with his 1,079 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns. He’s established himself as one of the league's most reliable deep threats.
Philadelphia enters the game as 5-point favorites. This is largely due to their well-rounded offense and suffocating defense. Green Bay will need to find ways to slow down Hurts (if he’s playing) and Barkley to pull off the upset and move into the second round.
The Washington Commanders earned a respectable 12-5 record behind the impressive play of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. That’s good enough to earn them the 6th seed in the NFC.
Daniels has been electric, throwing for an impressive 3,568 yards and 25 TDs while adding 891 rushing yards and 6 scores on the ground. His dual-threat ability makes him an absolute nightmare for defenses. In fact, he’s a solid candidate for the NFL’s rookie of the year.
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin has been Daniels’ go-to target. He’s racked up 1,096 receiving yards and 13 TDs on the season which includes several game-winning plays.
On defense, the Commanders have leaned fairly heavy upon rookie Mike Sainristil, who recorded 80 tackles and 3 interceptions.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who secured the NFC South with a 10-7 record, are holding the #3 seed in the NFC. They’re led by veteran QB Baker Mayfield who looks quite a bit different than he ever has. Mayfield had a resurgent season, throwing for an impressive 4,500 yards, 41 TDs, and 16 interceptions.
Rookie running back Bucky Irving has been nothing less than a revelation for Tampa Bay, leading the team with 1,122 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Irving's ability to convert on third downs (a league-best 80% success rate) has kept their drives alive and got them this far. Wide receiver Mike Evans also had another insane season with 1,004 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns and that was despite missing 3 games due to his hamstring injury.
The Buc are 3-point favorites heading into this matchup. However, Washington’s opportunistic defense and dynamic quarterback could make this game a bit closer than you might expect. Tampa Bay will need to contain Daniels, of course, while Washington must find a way to pressure Mayfield and limit Irving’s impact on the ground game.
We also think that injuries could be a big factor, as Tampa Bay linebacker Shaun Peterson Jr. and Washington cornerback Quan Martin are both questionable for the game.
The Minnesota Vikings, boasting a nice 14-3 record and the 5th seed in the NFC, bring one of the league’s most explosive offenses into the playoffs.
Quarterback Sam Darnold has revitalized his career in Minnesota. He’s thrown for a solid 4,319 yards, 35 TDs, and only 12 interceptions. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson has been a major contributor to Darnold’s numbers. He’s unstoppable and leads the NFL with 1,533 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
Running back Aaron Jones Sr. has also been a key contributor to the team as he’s rushing for 1,138 yards and 5 touchdowns on the season.
The Los Angeles Rams, who finished at just 10-7 which is good for the 4th seed, are countering with their veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, who passed for a moderate 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just 8 interceptions.
Stafford has leaned heavily on his talented receiving duo of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, who together, are a nightmare for secondaries. Together, they accounted for 2,523 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, making them one of the league's top pass-catching tandems. Defenses simply can’t cover all of the ground they do.
Running back Kyren Williams has been a stud on the ground with his 1,299 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
Minnesota is favored by 2.5 points, but we think that this matchup has all the ingredients for a big shootout.
The Vikings’ high-powered offense will test the Rams’ defense, while Stafford’s experience and the Rams’ balanced attack could keep them in the game all the way up to the end.
Both teams do have injury concerns, with Vikings linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill (illness) and Rams offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (non-injury-related) among those listed on the injury report.
The NFC Wild Card matchups are bringing a good mix of rising stars and experienced veterans. That means there’s tons of betting opportunities for these games.
The Green Bay-Philadelphia clash pits a young quarterback against one of the league’s most complete teams. Washington and Tampa Bay bring contrasting styles, with a dynamic rookie facing a seasoned veteran. Meanwhile, Minnesota and Los Angeles promise fireworks with their explosive offenses.
There will be plenty of football next weekend, in fact, some of the best football of the season, and that means we’ll be loading up our bet slips with game bets and plenty of props.