We have reached Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season, and the motion kicks off on Saturday with two of crucial video games of the whole weekend as two divisions doubtless might be determined.
The NFC South is on the road when the Carolina Panthers go to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to kick off Week 18. The Panthers can clinch their first division title since 2015 and first playoff look since 2017 with a win on Saturday, whereas the Bucs want a win and an Atlanta Falcons loss on Sunday to win their fifth NFC South title in a row. The Panthers have been one of many larger surprises within the NFL this 12 months after some actually poor seasons the previous couple of years, whereas Tampa Bay has been a giant disappointment, particularly because the Bucs enter Week 18 with a 7-9 document regardless of beginning off the 12 months 6-2.
The second sport of the day is arguably the largest sport of the weekend because the Seattle Seahawks go to the San Francisco 49ers in a sport that decides each the NFC West and the No. 1 seed within the convention. The Seahawks enter Week 18 tied for the very best document in soccer in 12 months 2 beneath Mike Macdonald, and the crew is within the midst of a six-game win streak that included a large win over the Los Angeles Rams two weeks in the past to take management of the division and open the trail to home-field benefit. The 49ers have additionally received six straight and are getting unbelievable play from Brock Purdy of late whereas overcoming a ton of main accidents. The winner will safe a first-round playoff bye, whereas the loser might be both the No. 4 or 5 seed within the NFC.
Along with these two huge NFL video games, there are additionally a ton of NBA, NHL and school basketball video games on the schedule for Saturday.
Beneath is a snapshot of what to observe and wager on on the high sportsbooks on Saturday, Jan. 3. All occasions Japanese.
NFL greatest bets as we speak, the place to observe
Panthers at Buccaneers
Time: 4:30 p.m. | Location: Tampa | TV: ESPN/ABC | Stream: Fubo (strive totally free)
SportsLine picks — Mannequin: Tampa Bay -3 | Skilled: Carolina +3 (Will Brinson)
The Panthers have a -67 level differential however discover themselves one win away from profitable the NFC South and securing a profitable season. The division has gone by means of Tampa Bay the previous 4 years, so it is solely becoming that this season finale is in Tampa. The Bucs regarded like a premier Tremendous Bowl contender to begin the 12 months after going 6-2 by means of their first eight video games, beating groups just like the Seahawks, 49ers and Houston Texans alongside the best way. Issues have fully cratered since then, nonetheless, as Tampa Bay has misplaced seven of its final eight video games, together with at Carolina in Week 16. The Panthers took that one 23-20, with Bryce Younger tossing two landing passes.
The SportsLine Projection Mannequin, which simulates each NFL sport 10,000 occasions, provides a slight lean to the Bucs as 3-point favorites at residence, with Tampa Bay protecting the unfold 51% of the time. NFL professional Will Brinson (4-3 and +200 over his final seven NFL picks) is using with the Panthers as a substitute. “I agree fully with the market transfer to make the Bucs lower than three-point favorites, so I am leaping on the final remaining full discipline purpose earlier than it disappears as properly,” he stated. “Personally, I believe the Panthers win outright, however positively imagine they keep inside a discipline purpose.”
Seahawks at 49ers
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Santa Clara, Calif. | TV: ESPN/ABC | Stream: Fubo (strive totally free)
SportsLine picks — Mannequin: Seahawks -1.5 | Skilled: Zach Charbonnet Over 42.5 dashing yards (Larry Hartstein)
The NFC West and the No. 1 seed are on the road on Saturday within the greatest sport of the season. The 49ers took the Week 1 matchup between these two groups again in Seattle 17-13 in Sam Darnold’s first sport because the Seahawks’ beginning quarterback. Purdy threw a late landing rating earlier than Darnold misplaced a fumble within the crimson zone due to a strip sack by Nick Bosa. The Seahawks have misplaced simply twice — Buccaneers and Rams — since Week 1, and so they’re hoping Darnold has a greater season finale than he did a 12 months in the past, when he accomplished 43.9% of his passes for the Vikings towards the Lions in a matchup that additionally had the No. 1 seed within the NFC on the road. The 49ers have scored no less than 37 factors every of the final three weeks as Purdy has been on fireplace within the passing sport with 11 landing passes over that span.
The mannequin provides a slight lean to the Seahawks right here, as Seattle wins outright 55% of the time and covers in 53% of mannequin simulations. SportsLine’s Larry Hartstein thinks the Seahawks will give working again Zach Charbonnet loads of probabilities to go Over his prop line of 42.5 dashing yards after a 100-yard efficiency final week, particularly given San Francisco’s latest struggles towards the run. “I am anticipating a impartial or constructive sport script for Seattle, and I might play this prop as much as 44.5,” Hartstein stated.
NBA greatest bets as we speak, the place to observe
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
Time: 7:30 p.m. | Location: New York | TV: NBA TV | Stream: Fubo (strive totally free)
SportsLine decide — Mannequin: New York -3.5
Two of the highest groups within the Japanese Convention sq. off Saturday evening with the 76ers visiting the Knicks. Philadelphia has received two in a row and enters the weekend with an 18-14 document. The 76ers are .500 over their final 10 video games and wish to transfer to 2-0 towards the Knicks this 12 months. Philly received the primary matchup between these two franchises 116-107 again on Dec. 19 due to 30 factors from Tyrese Maxey. Jalen Brunson scored simply 9 factors in 37 minutes in that sport, one in all his worst performances of the 12 months. The Knicks are 23-11 after beating/falling to the Atlanta Hawks 111-99 on Friday. New York is second within the Japanese Convention behind solely the Detroit Pistons. The SportsLine mannequin thinks the Knicks bounce again on Saturday as they win in 64% of simulations and canopy the unfold 59% of the time.
Time: 8:20 p.m. | Location: Pittsburgh | TV: NBC/Peacock | Stream: Fubo (strive totally free)
SportsLine picks — Mannequin: Steelers ML | Skilled: Baltimore -3 (R.J. White)
The ultimate sport of the 2025 NFL common season will determine the AFC North. The Ravens enter Week 18 at 8-8 whereas Pittsburgh is 9-7. The winner will get the AFC North and the No. 4 seed within the postseason in what’s been an odd 12 months for each franchises. The Ravens entered the 12 months with Tremendous Bowl aspirations as one of many favorites to win all of it, however a sluggish 1-5 begin coupled with an harm to Lamar Jackson knocked the crew down a bit. Jackson is banged up after lacking final week’s win over the Inexperienced Bay Packers, however he’ll play on this season finale. Pittsburgh could not fairly reap the benefits of Baltimore’s poor begin to the 12 months because the Steelers had probabilities to place the division away however simply could not. The Steelers’ loss to the Cleveland Browns final week opened the door for the Ravens to take the division this week by advantage of a tiebreaker.
The SportsLine Projection Mannequin sees extra worth in backing the Steelers as residence underdogs as they win outright 46% of the time and in addition cowl the unfold in 55% of simulations. SportsLine’s R.J. White, nonetheless, likes Baltimore on this matchup, significantly due to main issues with Pittsburgh’s offense and protection. “I am unable to see the Steelers’ offense having the identical success it did within the first assembly when DK Metcalf had 149 receiving yards and the remainder of the offense did not do a lot, significantly working the ball,” White stated. “Pittsburgh could not cease Baltimore’s run sport on that day, and the Ravens have averaged 224 rush yards of their final 4 video games.”
