Chicago Bears vs Carolina Panthers preview, prediction, betting odds, live stream info
Chicago Bears vs Carolina Panthers
In a battle of 2-2 teams coming off disappointing losses, Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall and the Chicago Bears travel to Charlotte to take on Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly and the Carolina Panthers in Bank of American Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
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Date: Sunday, Oct. 4
Start time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium
TV info: Fox
Live stream: NFL Sunday Ticket
Radio: Bears broadcast here. Panthers broadcast here.
Ticket info: For Bears ticket info click here. For Panthers ticket info click here.
Keys to Victory
After throwing two interceptions in the loss to the Green Bay Packers last week, Cutler needs to limit his turnovers against the Panthers defense who ranked among the league’s best last year, but the Panthers haven’t been as dominant this year and have given up 38 and 37 points, respectively, in the last two weeks, both losses.
Carolina needs to find a way to slow down Matt Forte who is coming off his best game of the season with 122 rushing yards and 50 yards receiving. This is easier said than done, however, as the Panthers have the league’s No. 27 rush defense, allowing 140 yards per game. If they can’t stop the run, they have to find a way to answer the Bears’ rushing but have the league’s No. 29 rushing offense and have mounting injuries in the backfield.
Betting Odds
Point spread: CAR -2.5
Moneyline: -135
Over/Under: 45.5
Prediction
For the first weekend in October you won’t find many must-win games, but this classifies for these two teams with playoff aspirations. Each are coming off embarrassing losses that saw them give up 38 points so the winner in this game will establish some much-needed momentum and goodwill entering the second quarter of the season.
Carolina hasn’t been able to run the ball or stop the run this season and that bodes well for the Bears who will rely on Forte this game to move the chains as Marc Trestman reels in Cutler after his two picks last week. Forte should be able to rush for 100 yards and lighten the load on Cutler and Marshall who is coming along slowly from a nagging ankle injury.
The good news for Chicago is he practiced in full on Tuesday and should be getting closer to 100 percent. That should be a dangerous offense with Alshon Jeffery opposite him and tight end Martellus Bennett off to a career year.
Newton should be able to throw on this woeful Bears secondary and have time to stand in the pocket as the Bears have no pass rush, especially if Jared Allen has to miss a second straight game as he recovers from pneumonia, so Kelvin Benjamin and former Bears tight end Greg Olsen should have nice days.
Ultimately, I think the team who runs the ball better prevails on Sunday and that will be Chicago who is poised to start off 3-0 on the road for the first time since 2006 when they began 5-0 away from Soldier Field en route to winning the NFC.
Final Score: Panthers: 20, Bears: 24
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