Chicago gets its first chance to witness the Cam Newton Show Sunday and the Bears open as favorites to win this Week 4 battle against the Carolina Panthers.
The Cats got their first win of the season (over Jacksonville) while the Bears lost their second straight (to Green Bay) in Week 3.
Oddsmakers figure the Bears deserve about 7 points at home in this one and the Bears try to repeat their 23-6 drubbing of the Panthers at Carolina a year ago. But they don't like their chances at making the playoffs, making them a +600 underdog to do so in lines posted Thursday at Sportsbook.
Carolina has been a pushover as an underdog lately, losing 16 of 19 games and only going 4-15 ATS.
View Carolina vs Chicago Odds and Stats.
Betting Line:
The visitors opened as 5-point underdogs in this one at most sportsbooks tracked here at OddsShark, while the total was hovering around 43.5 at most shops.
Power Rankings / Prediction:
The OddsShark Power Rankings have the Bears at No. 28 and the Panthers at No. 18 heading into this contest. Handicapping models project a 19-18 result in favor of the Panthers.
How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Chicago's No. 17-ranked offense (20 PPG) against a Panthers defense that ranks No. 18 at 22.7 PPG. The Bears passing attack has averaged 251 yards per game, more than the Panthers give up through the air (239.7 YPG on average).
In comparing defenses, the Panthers own the league's No. 11-rated front 7 in terms of stopping the run, allowing 99 yards per game when on the road. Chicago, on the other hand, rates No. 32 this week in generating rushing yards at home.
The Panthers were a 16-10 Sportsbook in their most recent outing at home against the Jaguars. They covered the 3.5–point spread as favorites, while the total score (26) made Sportsbooks of UNDER bettors. The Panthers grabbed a Week 3 victory over the Jaguars in their last game, winning 16-10 at Bank of America Stadium.
The Bears were a 27-17 loser in their most recent outing at home against the Packers. They failed to cover the 4.5–point spread as underdogs, while the total score (44) made Sportsbooks of UNDER bettors. In Chicago's last outing, Jay Cutler threw for 302 yards in a losing cause against the Packers, 27-17 at Soldier Field.
Carolina Panthers Trends:
When playing in October are 5-5
When playing on grass are 2-8
After outgaining opponent are 4-6
When playing outside the division are 3-7
Chicago Bears Trends:
When playing in October are 4-6
When playing on grass are 6-4
After being outgained are 5-5
When playing outside the division are 6-4
A few Panthers at Bears trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Carolina's last 6 games on the road
Carolina is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games
Carolina is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games
Chicago is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games
Chicago is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games at home
Next up:
Carolina home to New Orleans, Sunday, October 9
Chicago at Detroit, Monday, October 10
