Can you believe the NFL Playoffs have finally arrived? No? Neither can we. This season flew by, but the most important games of the year kick off on Saturday and provide plenty of action over the course of the next few weeks. At 4:30 p.m. EST, the Los Angeles Rams head east for a rematch against the Carolina Panthers with the season on the line.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Rams are a -10.5 favorite with -575 odds to win on the Moneyline. The Panthers hold +425 odds of an outright upset with the game total set at 46.5 combined points.
Let’s break down my top anytime TD scorer bets for Rams vs. Panthers during Wild Card Weekend on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Tetairoa McMillan (+150)
The Rams’ secondary has proven somewhat vulnerable to giving up scores in recent weeks, coughing up seven combined touchdowns over the last four games. Yes, that span includes matchups against the Lions, Seahawks, Falcons and Cardinals, all teams with better passing attacks than these Panthers. However, it’s clear that turning to the air is the best way to score on Los Angeles — this defense allowed 26 passing touchdowns (19th) to just eight rushing scores (first) over the course of the regular season. If any Carolina pass catcher gets the job done in this spot, it’s likely going to be rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan. The Arizona product didn’t play like a newbie in this league, recording 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns on his 70 catches as the clear first option in the Panthers’ passing attack. While he caught just one pass in the win against the Rams earlier this season, it was a 43-yard touchdown grab and the L.A. secondary isn’t exactly stellar at 20th in passing yards allowed per game. Factor in the fact Carolina may trail throughout the day and the game script could potentially lean toward McMillan’s favor, especially as a 6-foot-4 target in the red zone.
Blake Corum (+175)
In opposite fashion to this Rams defense, the Panthers’ own unit is quite stout against the pass but vulnerable against the run when it comes to conceding touchdowns. Carolina’s given up 20 passing scores (sixth-fewest) but 20 rushing touchdowns on the other end (fourth-most). While Los Angeles tends to throw the ball even in the red zone, the numbers do suggest that perhaps one of the running backs can cross the goal line on Saturday. The Rams finished the season with 17 rushing touchdowns which ranks firmly in the middle of the pack, and the pair of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum form a nice one-two punch. The latter sees better odds to score an anytime TD at +175 as opposed to Williams’ -150 (the shortest odds of any player in this game), so I’d rather take the wager on Corum here. The second-year back has 10+ rush attempts in four of his last five games and does work as more of a 1B to his teammate’s 1A these days, and he’s handled 10 red-zone rush attempts to Williams’ 18 since Week 13. The halfbacks each have six carries inside the five-yard line since Week 13 as well, with Corum scoring five touchdowns since then as well.
