Ranking Every NFL Wild Card Game by Entertainment Value and Drama

The playoffs are here and for the first time in more than two decades, the absence of a Manning, Brady or Mahomes invites a Marshall Law outlook to the postseason.

Not every game is up for grabs, but starting with the three-day Wildcard Weekend slate of six games it’s not hard to imagine the visiting team coming out on top.

That should bring an appetizing layer of drama. Here are the games we’re looking forward to, ranked by anticipated entertainment value.

6. Los Angeles Rams (12-5) at Carolina Panthers (8-9)

Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET

From a betting perspective, the Rams are no underdog despite the cross-country flight and earlier loss (31-28) in the same stadium. MVP frontrunner Matthew Stafford was awful — three turnovers included a pick-6 — and we’d agree he’s unlikely to fall on his face again.

The Rams are -10.5, and the underrated defense might be the reason the number computes.

The Panthers are untested and enter the playoffs with a losing record for the second time, a boast no other franchise can make. Playing in just their second playoff game since losing to the Denver Broncos in the 2015 season Super Bowl, they lost to the New Orleans Saints in the wild-card round after the 2017 regular season.

Carolina isn’t equipped to rally if things don’t go the Panthers’ way early in the game. Bryce Young had 23 touchdowns — Stafford had 45 — and only topped 200 yards in four of his 16 starts.

5. Houston Texans (12-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET

The Texans have never won a road playoff game, but QB C.J. Stroud has been effective against edge pressure. He was sacked only 23 times this season and has enough playoff experience not to blink in the primetime playoff spotlight.

The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game in nearly nine years and oppose a dynamite defense with Aaron Rodgers (11-10 as a postseason starter) trying to get Mike Tomlin his first postseason win since beating the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round on Jan. 15, 2017.

Houston has a plus-17 takeaway margin. The Steelers get DK Metcalf back from a two-game suspension.

4. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) at New England Patriots (14-3)

Sunday, 8 p.m. ET

Drake Maye is 23, the youngest quarterback in the tournament, but has been off the charts in his second season. The Patriots are capable of scoring big — they led the AFC with 28.8 points per game — or slugging it out, which is the brand of ball the Chargers would prefer.

Weather shouldn’t be a major factor Sunday night. Justin Herbert isn’t fully healthy playing with a broken left hand but is all gamer, matching the intensity of his head coach.

3. Buffalo Bills (12-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

If you have not witnessed it with your own eyes, tune in to see the unlocked version of Trevor Lawrence (29 touchdowns, 10 INTs) under Liam Coen.

The first-year coach has instilled a bullrider’s confidence in Lawrence and the Jaguars have a swagger felt by some of the best teams in the league this season. A win at Denver showed this crew is legit.

The Bills demolished Jacksonville 47-10 in 2024, but playoff disappointments are many for Buffalo. Can Josh Allen finally get there?

2. Green Bay Packers (9-7-1) at Chicago Bears (11-6)

Saturday, 8 p.m. ET

For the third year in a row, the Packers are the last team in the NFC playoff field as the No. 7 seed.

They return to the scene of a stunning defeat last month, when Green Bay blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. The Packers are a staggering 30-7 against Chicago since the start of the 2008 season, including the playoffs.

The NFC North rivals split their games this season, with the Packers winning 28-21 at Lambeau Field in Week 14 and the Bears winning 22-16 in overtime at Soldier Field two weeks later.

QB Jordan Love hasn’t played since that Week 16 loss at Chicago. The key to the offensive gameplan for the Packers is RB Josh Jacobs, who had 1,211 total yards and 14 TDs.

The Bears led the NFL with 33 takeaways and will invite Love to put the ball in the air. Caleb Williams had a franchise-record 3,942 passing yards and the Bears found a gem in first-round pick Colston Loveland, who led the team in receiving.

The Packers have not seen Bears No. 1 WR Rome Odunze this season, but he will play Saturday after missing five games with a foot injury.

1. San Francisco 49ers (12-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)

Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET

We are placing this game atop the list of wild-card watching for its intricate chess match with Xs and Os masters.

Kyle Shanahan has never truly solved Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. In a matchup of two of the league’s premier running backs, the game might come down to Shanahan finding a way through the Fangio scheme.

This is the fifth straight playoff appearance for Philadelphia under fifth-year coach Nick Sirianni, whose teams alternated wild-card losses with deep Super Bowl runs in their first four postseasons under his watch.

It’s the fifth playoff trip in the past seven seasons for the 49ers under Shanahan, which includes a couple of Super Bowl setbacks. The Eagles’ passing attack has been average at best, but the San Francisco passing defense is a weak link.