The schedule for the 2026 NFL Wild Card Weekend includes two matchups on Saturday, three on Sunday, and one ‘Monday Night Football’ game featuring the Houston Texans against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Monday night game will showcase quarterback C.J. Stroud of the Texans against twenty-one-year veteran Aaron Rodgers of the Steelers, with Houston being favored by 3.5 points at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Other significant spreads for Sunday matchups include the Rams at -10.5 against the Panthers, the 49ers facing the Eagles at -4.5, and the Chargers against the Patriots at -3.5. Smaller spreads include the Packers at -1.5 against the Bears and the Bills at -1 against the Jaguars. Notably, the top seeds in both conferences, Seattle and Denver, will have a bye.
For those considering 2026 Wild Card Weekend NFL bets or score predictions, it’s advisable to check out the predictions offered by SportsLine AI.
With advanced AI techniques from SportsLine’s data science team, each game’s AI ratings and predictions are generated, aided by historical team data. The models aim to forecast matchup strengths by scoring defenses on a scale of one to one hundred, adapting with the latest data.
The AI PickBot has made over 2,000 successful prop picks since the 2023 season’s start.
For Wild Card Weekend betting insights, SportsLine AI has already evaluated the NFL odds and is ready to share betting picks for all six games. The Steelers (+3, 39.5), who managed a win against Baltimore in Week 18, are expected to prevail despite a close encounter against the Texans.
With Pittsburgh winning four of their last six meetings with Houston, they are anticipated to cover a tight spread. Additionally, the Steelers, expecting receiver DK Metcalf back from suspension, are on the hunt for their first playoff victory since reaching the AFC Championship in 2016. Houston had the upper hand in their last encounter, winning 30-6 on October 1, 2023.
Check out SportsLine for additional predictions and NFL betting recommendations for this Wild Card weekend.
