The Rams kick off Wildcard Weekend at Carolina, who became the seventh team ever to make the play-offs with a losing record (8-9) having stumbled to the NFC South title.
LA must hit the road but Stafford led the league for passing yards and touchdown passes while Puka Nacua posted a career-high 1,715 receiving yards. The Rams also hope to have fellow receiver Davante Adams back from injury.
A host of injuries late in the season, most notably to Micah Parsons, has halted Green Bay’s momentum but they will have quarterback Jordan Love (concussion) back for just the third play-off clash in the NFL’s oldest and most-played rivalry.
Although Chicago surpassed pre-season expectations by winning the NFC North, the pressure is on to avoid going out of the play-offs with what would be a third straight defeat.
The NFC’s other wildcard match-up sees injury-hit San Francisco visit defending champions Philadelphia, who rested most of their starters last Sunday after recovering from a wobble to clinch the NFC East.
After being dumped out by Kansas City in four of the past five years, Buffalo’s reigning MVP Josh Allen hopes to finally reach the Super Bowl, but the Bills must hit the road after New England ended their recent dominance of the AFC East.
And they must visit a Jacksonville team on an eight-game win streak, with Trevor Lawrence looking like the ‘generational talent’ he was billed as when the Jaguars made him the number one draft pick in 2021.
The Patriots aim to avoid an upset at home to the Los Angeles Chargers, whose quarterback Justin Herbert hopes to claim his first play-off win in his sixth year in the NFL.
Houston’s league-leading defence is sure to put four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers under pressure but the 42-year-old, who could retire at the end of the season, can target DK Metcalf again as Pittsburgh’s top receiver returns from suspension for Monday’s game.
