NFL Weather Report for Wild Card Round | Latest Forecasts & Betting Impact
My NFL weather report for the Wild Card Round breaks down the forecasts for the six matchups this weekend, all of which are being played outdoors.
I'm also exploring the potential betting impact the weather could have on each game as part of our NFL playoff predictions. All weather forecasts courtesy of NFLWeather.com.
☀️ NFL weather report for Wild Card Round
See all of our experts' NFL picks for the Wild Card Round based on the latest NFL odds.
| Matchup | Location | Weather impact |
|---|---|---|
| Rams vs. Panthers | Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.) | 🌡️🌡️🌡️🌡️ |
| Packers vs. Bears | Soldier Field (Chicago) | 🌡️🌡️🌡️ |
| Bills vs. Jaguars | EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.) | 🌡️ |
| 49ers vs. Eagles | Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) | 🌡️ |
| Chargers vs. Patriots | Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.) | 🌡️🌡️ |
| Texans vs. Steelers | Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh) | 🌡️🌡️ |
🚨 Projected worst NFL weather games
🥇 Rams vs. Panthers: 64% chance of rain.
🥈 Packers vs. Bears: 34 degrees, 41% chance of snow and windy.
🥉 Texans vs. Steelers: 32 degrees.
🌧️ Rams vs. Panthers weather report
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 10 @ 4:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)
- Forecast: 71 degrees, 64% chance of rain
- Wind: 12 mph SW
We're projecting a warm and rainy Saturday evening in Charlotte with a moderate amount of wind, which will put a heightened emphasis on running the football and ball security.
That puts the Panthers at a clear disadvantage, as they rank 19th in rushing offense and 20th in rush defense. On the other side, the Rams ranked seventh in rushing behind Kyren Williams' 1,200 yards and Blake Corum's 5.1 yards-per-carry average.
On the ball-security front, the Rams had a plus-11 turnover differential (fifth-best), while the Panthers finished with a minus-2 differential (tied for 15th).
Carolina beat L.A. 31-28 in the regular season. But that was the most points Carolina scored all year, aided by three Rams giveaways - which tied a season-worst for Los Angeles.
❄️ Packers vs. Bears weather report
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 10 @ 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Soldier Field (Chicago)
- Forecast: 34 degrees, 41% chance of snow
- Wind: 16 mph W
It's going to be a chilly night in Chicago as the NFL renews its oldest rivalry, which includes the windiest conditions of Wild Card Weekend and a 41% chance of snow. The Packers and Bears meet in the playoffs for just the third time ever (1941, 2011).
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has averaged 244 passing yards and two touchdowns per game since the start of December, which includes four of five games being played in freezing conditions. Packers QB Jordan Love is expected to return for the first time in 2.5 games following his concussion against the Bears. He was having one of his worst performances of the season versus the Chicago defense before exiting that previous matchup.
Kicking could play a major role in this contest, especially given the projected wind gusts up to 29 mph by the fourth quarter. Bears kicker Cairo Santos is a major reason this game is being played in Chicago, as his 3/3 performance versus the Packers last month was crucial in the victory that helped the Bears win the NFC North.
On the Packers' side, Brandon McManus has only attempted five 50-yard field goals all season, which could affect how aggressive Green Bay is on fourth down in plus-territory.
⛅ Bills vs. Jaguars weather report
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 11 @ 1 p.m. ET
- Location: EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
- Forecast: 63 degrees, 12% chance of rain
- Wind: 8 mph NW
There's a slight chance of rain in Jacksonville, but overall, sportsbooks don't seem to expect the weather to factor into this AFC wild-card matchup.
This game has the highest total of the Wild Card Round, with the best sports betting sites offering between 51.5 and 52.5 points.
The Jaguars have looked borderline unstoppable during their eight-game winning streak, averaging 33.6 points during that stretch. Trevor Lawrence finally looks like the quarterback many expected him to be as one of the most hyped players to enter the league over the past decade. Meanwhile, Josh Allen and the Bills are always primed to give a good show in the postseason. Buffalo has averaged nearly 30 points per game over their last three playoff runs.
The matchup will likely be won or lost on the ground for the Bills, as their No. 1-ranked rushing offense takes on the league's best rush defense.
☁️ 49ers vs. Eagles weather report
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 11 @ 4:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
- Forecast: 45 degrees, 9% chance of rain
- Wind: 11 mph NW
It's expected to be warm by January standards in Philadelphia on Sunday, with a very slim chance of rain. These two teams have combined to win the last three NFC Championships and five of the last eight conference titles.
The spread has moved to Eagles -4.5 after opening at -3.5, per the NFL Wild Card Round betting odds, but San Francisco boasts a 7-2 road record against the spread, one of the best marks in the league. Meanwhile, the Eagles are just 4-4 ATS as a home favorite.
With a moderate amount of wind, this is another matchup where I'll be paying close attention to the kicking game, especially for Philadelphia. The Eagles' Jake Elliott made just 74.1% of his kicks during the regular season, including 50% from 50-plus.
☁️ Chargers vs. Patriots weather report
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 11 @ 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
- Forecast: 36 degrees, 20% chance of rain
- Wind: 7 mph SW
We're projecting a cold Sunday night in Foxborough, with a 20% chance of showers throughout the contest.
Despite the talent of the two starting quarterbacks - Justin Herbert and Drake Maye - Under 46.5 points is in play in this matchup featuring two top-eight defenses.
Herbert, 0-2 in his playoff career, threw four interceptions in last year's wild-card loss to the Texans, including a pick-6. Luckily for him, he's got the ball-hawking secondary on his side this time around. The Chargers finished with the third-most interceptions this season.
On the other sideline, Maye is making his postseason debut. The NFL MVP odds contender has been incredible this year, but he faces perhaps his toughest test this weekend. It will be the first time this season that the Patriots quarterback will match up against a top-10 scoring defense.
❄️ Texans vs. Steelers weather report
- Date: Monday, Jan. 12 @ 8:15 p.m. ET
- Location: Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh)
- Forecast: 32 degrees, partly cloudy
- Wind: 8 mph SW
The Wild Card Round wraps up with what could be Aaron Rodgers' final NFL game. This is the coldest projected contest of the opening round of the playoffs, with freezing temperatures that surprisingly favor the road team rather than the home Steelers.
Houston has a dominant defense, ranking top three in the league in yards, points, and takeaways. The Texans held the following quarterbacks to 20 or fewer points this season: Matthew Stafford, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, and Patrick Mahomes. It's no wonder this game has the lowest total of the weekend (39.5 points).
A significant reason Rodgers was able to lead the Steelers to the AFC North title this season was his ability to avoid negative plays (sacks and turnovers). That will be challenging for Rodgers to maintain in this matchup, especially given the 42-year-old's non-existent escapability at this point in his career.
Whether or not Pittsburgh can remain buttoned up in the secondary will also play a major role after giving up three 30-yard passing touchdowns against the Ravens last week. Texans wideout Nico Collins ranked second in the league in 40-plus-yard receptions and eighth in 20-plus-yard catches.
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