> At a Glance
> – The NFL postseason kicks off Saturday with two NFC Wild Card games
> – Panthers (8-9) host Rams (12-5) at 4:30 p.m. ET-Carolina beat L.A. in Week 13
> – Bears (11-6) face Packers (9-7-1) at 8 p.m. ET, their first playoff meeting since 2010
> – Why it matters: A losing-record Panthers squad could upend the bracket, while the storied Chicago-Green Bay rivalry adds instant drama.
Saturday’s NFL Wild Card slate is NFC-only, delivering a pair of make-or-break showdowns that begin with Carolina’s bid to repeat its regular-season upset over visiting Los Angeles before the arch-rival Bears and Packers collide under the lights.
Saturday’s NFC Wild Card Schedule
- 4:30 p.m. ET – No. 5 Rams at No. 4 Panthers (Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte)
- 8 p.m. ET – No. 7 Packers at No. 2 Bears (Soldier Field, Chicago)
How to Watch & Stream
Rams vs. Panthers
- TV: Fox
- Stream: FoxSports.com, Fox Sports app, NFL+ (mobile/tablet)
Packers vs. Bears
- National stream: Amazon Prime Video
- Local TV: Fox (Chicago), NBC (Green Bay)
- Mobile: NFL+
Quick-Hit Storylines
- Carolina is one of the few playoff teams ever to enter with a losing record; they forced three Matthew Stafford turnovers in their 31-28 Week 13 win.
- Chicago and Green Bay have met only twice previously in the postseason, last in the 2010 NFC Championship (Packers won at Soldier Field).
- The rivals split 2025, each winning at home; Week 16 saw the Bears erase a 10-point deficit and win 22-16 in OT on Caleb Williams’ 46-yard TD to DJ Moore.
What’s Next
Sunday’s AFC/NFC triple-header:
- 1 p.m. ET – Bills at Jaguars (CBS)
- 4:30 p.m. ET – 49ers at Eagles (Fox)
- 8 p.m. ET – Chargers at Patriots (NBC/Peacock)
Monday wraps Wild Card Weekend with Texans at Steelers (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC).
Key Takeaways
- The Panthers can become the first sub-.500 team to advance if they replicate their Week 13 formula.
- Soldier Field’s playoff history favors the Packers, who ended the Bears’ 2010 Super Bowl hopes there.
- Caleb Williams‘ late-game heroics last month give Chicago momentum, but Green Bay’s season split proves the rivalry’s volatility.
With the Broncos and Seahawks resting on bye weeks, the NFC bracket’s opening act sets the tone for a postseason already rife with upset potential.
