Carolina Panthers (1-3) vs. Chicago Bears (2-2)
October 6, 2024 1:00 pm EDT
The Line: Chicago Bears -3.5; Over/Under: +41.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears meet in week 5 NFL action from Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Chicago Bears vs Carolina Panthers Prediction.
Carolina Panthers Recap
The Carolina Panthers come into this one looking to bounce back after falling to 1-3 on the year after a 34-24 loss to Cincinnati last time out. After this game, the Panthers will head home for a divisional date with the Atlanta Falcons.
Panthers Picking It Up Offensively
Andy Dalton has thrown for 539 yards, 5 touchdowns, and an interception on 65.4% passing, while Bryce Young has thrown for 245 yards and 3 interceptions on 55.4% passing. Chuba Hubbard leads the Panthers with 296 rushing yards, while Diontae Johnson has a team-high 20 receptions for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns. Xavier Legette has 143 receiving yards and Adam Thielen has 109 receiving yards as well on the year. Shaq Thompson leads Carolina’s defense with 35 total tackles this season, while Carolina’s defense as a whole has combined for 5 sacks and 3 interceptions.
Why the Carolina Panthers will win
- The underdogs have won four of the Bears’ last five Week 5 games.
- The Bears have lost eight of their last nine October games against NFC opponents.
- The underdogs have covered the spread in each of the Bears’ last six Week 5 games.
- The Bears have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four October home games against NFC opponents.
Chicago Bears Recap
The Chicago Bears come into this game looking to add on to a 24-18 win over the Los Angeles Rams to improve to 2-2 on the year. After this game, Chicago will welcome the Jacksonville Jaguars to town.
Bears Starting To Find Groove
Caleb Williams has thrown for 787 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions on 61.7% passing, while D’Andre Swift has rushed for 161 yards and a touchdown. DJ Moore leads the Bears with 22 receptions for 189 yards and a touchdown, while Rome Odunze has 166 receiving yards. Cole Kmet has 162 receiving yards as well on the year. On defense, Jaquan Brisker has a team-high 35 total tackles while T.J. Edwards has 34 total tackles, including a team-high 21 solo tackles. Gervon Dexter Sr. has a team-high 3 sacks, while Jaylon Johnson has a pair of interceptions. As a unit, the Bears’ defense has combined for 10 sacks and 5 interceptions so far this season.
Why the Chicago Bears will win
- The home team has won each of the Bears’ last nine games.
- The Panthers have lost each of their last seven road games against NFC opponents.
- The Bears have covered the spread in each of their last six Sunday games at Soldier Field.
- The Panthers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five October games against NFC North opponents.
Chicago Bears vs Carolina Panthers Prediction
I’m going to lean towards the over here. I think that Carolina’s offense has looked a bit more alive since the switch to Andy Dalton, but the defense continues to be problematic. The Bears as a whole have definitely shown signs of improvement through the first four games of the Caleb Williams era, and this could be another opportunity for Williams to put up some solid numbers against a subpar Panther defense. Give me the over here.
