RAMS at PANTHERS
Saturday, 4:30 p.m., Rams by 10, 46 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: The most important mismatch of the week. Carolina took the weak AFC South by default after failing to win a Week 18 showdown in Tampa. The Rams appeared like the very best group within the NFL for a lot of the season earlier than placing issues in relative cruise management after dropping management of the very best division in soccer. They need to rediscover their depth right here and make the most of a number of personnel mismatches. The Panthers, who’ve averaged simply 16 ppg during the last month, must lean on their RB tandem to ease the stress on Bryce Younger, however the Rams are among the many NFL’s high run cease items and determine to make Carolina one-dimensional. That’s an excessive amount of to ask of Younger, who can be making his first playoff begin to Matthew Stafford’s eleventh. The Rams’ entrance can get to the QB with out blitzing whereas blanketing receivers with zone protection so the problem earlier than Younger can be immense. After all, the Panthers scored a 31-28 win over the Rams in Week 13 the place turnovers and large performs performed a serious position. Sean McVay can have realized from that tape and with Davante Adams (two TD catches in first assembly) again within the lineup, we search for Stafford to atone for his worst sport of the season. The Rams are loaded with playmakers. Jaycee Horn can’t cowl Adams and Puka Nacua on the identical time.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Rams and the over.
PACKERS at BEARS
Saturday, 8 p.m., Bears by 1, 45 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: This line flipped early within the week with a variety of Bears cash coming in. The Packers are stumbling coming into the playoff with 4 straight losses, two of them by way of absolute giveaways. That features the final assembly between the groups ended with a miraculous Bears comeback three weeks in the past. Will they get up right here? Which will come right down to the efficiency of the Bears protection, which has relied on a league-best 33 turnovers to make up for different deficiencies. The Packers managed solely 13 factors on 5 straight journeys contained in the Chicago purple zone the final time. However Jordan Love could be very able to exploiting the Bears’ tendencies to surrender large performs as lengthy he stays upright — and he can have Zach Tom again defending him. Since dropping Micah Parsons, the Packers have been a bottom-tier protection. Caleb Williams has been defying his doubters all 12 months. The Bears can rating. Nonetheless, the Packers held them to 9 factors by way of the primary 58 minute of their final sport. Inexperienced Bay is the higher group.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Packers and the over.
BILLS at JAGUARS
1 p.m., Payments by 1 ½, 51 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: This one, a possible heat climate shootout between Josh Allen and Trevor Lawrence, ought to simply go previous the quantity. Allen, after all, is a confirmed big-game performer. Lawrence, who has been on an absolute heater since Jakobi Meyers arrived, is unproven within the playoffs. Nonetheless, when Allen has misplaced within the playoffs, it’s been about his protection — not about him — and that protection, significantly rushing-wise, is a priority in opposition to Jacksonville’s well-balanced assault. Conversely, Jacksonville has the a lot better protection by far. Buffalo is anchored within the run and the Jaguars have the very best dashing protection in soccer. They haven’t permitting any again to surpass 75 yards, together with two video games in opposition to Jonathan Taylor. Allen can have a chance to work his tight ends, however his downfield choices are restricted. The Jags even have an enormous edge within the kicking sport with record-setter Cam Short while the Payments go to the road for theirs. Lastly, we’ll throw this one on the market for consideration: Sean McDermott is 0-5 SU on the highway within the postseason and the Payments haven’t received a highway playoff sport since 1992.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Jaguars and the over.
49ERS at EAGLES
4:30 p.m., Eagles by 4 ½, 46 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: The Eagles’ unimpressive wins this season don’t essentially justify this unfold. They haven’t scored greater than 19 factors in opposition to a successful group since Week 3. We preferred what we noticed out of the 49ers protection final week. The issue, nonetheless, is that the Eagles are rested and the Niners are flying coast to coast after an absolute conflict with the Seahawks. Plus, whereas the Philly offense has sputtered all through the season, OT Lane Johnson, the important thing to all of it, is returning. Conversely, the 49ers are unsure concerning the standing of their all-important OT, Trent Williams, in addition to WR Ricky Pearsall. They’ll want each in opposition to Vic Fangio’s protection with a lot of Brock Purdy’s glittering performances having come in opposition to a lot weaker defensive groups. If the Eagles take away Christian McCaffrey because the Seahawks did, Purdy doesn’t have a lot after George Kittle. Saquon Barkley completed the season sturdy for the Eagles, averaging 4.9 yards per carry in his ultimate 4 begins and the Niners, since dropping Fred Warner, are a backside tier run protection. The Eagles have been a playoff monster at dwelling underneath Nick Sirianni, successful all 5 begins by a mean of 21 factors.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Eagles and the underneath.
CHARGERS at PATRIOTS
8 p.m., Pats by 3 ½, 46 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: Did the Chargers choose to face the Patriots relatively than the Payments by resting their starters? New England has crushed just one playoff all season (Buffalo). Justin Herbert has come up small within the playoffs however the query right here is Drake Maye. He’s had an MVP-worthy season however a lot of his success has come in opposition to a cupcake schedule, together with the final two weeks in opposition to the pathetic Jets and Dolphins. The playoffs are a special animal for a first-time QB, particularly in opposition to a protection this robust. The Chargers give a QB a variety of seems and drive them to be affected person. Their two-deep zone scheme takes away the deep ball, Maye’s specialty. Then there’s the Patriots’ run protection, which from Week 10 on, allowed 4.7 ypc. The Chargers are a ball management group with a robust, bodily protection. Jim Harbaugh’s sport plan will play to these strengths so we lean to the underneath. The climate forecast doesn’t favor any group from So Cal however the Chargers are constructed extra like a chilly climate group so it shouldn’t be an element.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Chargers and the underneath.
TEXANS at STEELERS
Monday, 8 p.m., Texans by 3 ½, 39 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: This can be a dangerous matchup for the Steelers offense, holy water or not. There’s an enormous dip in Aaron Rodgers’ play when going through a robust go rush (see Browns/Ravens the final two video games) and we’ve seen how the Texans’ edge rushers can take over a sport. DK Metcalf returns from suspension as Rodgers’ favourite goal however the Texans have nearly as good a CB tandem (Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter) as any group within the NFL. Mike Tomlin likes to run the soccer and play the sector place sport however the Texans have held eight of their final 11 opponents to fewer than 100 yards dashing. The Steelers haven’t crushed any of the 2026 playoff groups since Week 3 in opposition to the Pats. Of their 5 losses to playoff groups, their smoke and mirrors protection has allowed 30.8 factors per sport. Houston’s offense doesn’t overwhelm anybody. Nevertheless, CJ Stroud has performed comparatively properly since coming back from a Week 9 concussion to proceed the Texans’ nine-game successful streak. His chemistry with downfield receiving menace Nico Collins is plain and the Steelers’ secondary has been burned for giant performs all season. The Steelers are additionally coming off a bodily conflict with the Texans resting key starters within the second half in opposition to the Colts.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Texans and the underneath.
* * *
WEEK’S BEST BET: Texans. Until outdated man Rodgers turns into the outdated Rodgers.
LAST WEEK: 8-8; OVER/UNDER: 8-8
OVERALL: 130-139-2; OVER/UNDER: 153-114-4
BEST BETS: 10-8
