Best NFL Saturday Jan 3rd Week 18 Betting Picks, Predictions

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the Carolina Panthers with the NFC South division title on the line. Tampa Bay needs to win and have the New Orleans Saints beat the Atlanta Falcons to clinch the playoffs. Carolina just needs to win or have New Orleans lose, and they clinch the title.

The Bucs are on a terrible skid at the moment, losing four consecutive games. Over that span, they’ve lost to a few bad teams in the NFL, including the Saints, Falcons, and Miami Dolphins. They also lost to Carolina in their most recent matchup.

This feels like the perfect opportunity to fade the Panthers, though. They simply aren’t a team that travels well, and that’s why I’m siding with the Bucs.

Carolina currently owns a 3-5 road record compared to 5-3 at home. They have an average margin of victory of -6.4 on the road, which ranks near the bottom of the NFL. Their only truly good road victory was against the Green Bay Packers, but they were grossly outplayed throughout that game.

We’re getting a great buy-low, sell-high spot here, and I trust Tampa Bay more in a must-win situation.

Where to Bet: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -3 spread | +100 at Bet365

2025 NFL Season Betting Record: 25-39

Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks will face off in a battle for the NFC West, a first-round bye, and the number one overall seed in the NFC. The winner of this game gets all of the edges, while the loser is dropped to a Wild Card slot.

The 49ers are finally getting healthier, although they’re still dealing with some injuries. They have been unbelievable offensively, averaging .623 points per play over their last three games. They’re averaging a healthy 42.3 points per game over that span.

The issue with San Francisco is that their defense hasn’t been good. They’re giving up the fourth-most points (.520) per play over their last three games. Over that span, the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, and Chicago Bears averaged 29.7 points per game against them.

The Seahawks have an outstanding run game, and the 49ers are likely to struggle against it. I do have concerns that San Francisco can’t find success against Seattle’s defense, but their offense is playing at too high a rate for me to avoid at the moment.

Where to Bet: Seattle Seahawks & San Francisco 49ers over 47.5 points | -110 at Bet365