Panthers at 49ers: Preview, prediction, odds and pick

The Panthers and 49ers will open up their seasons on Sunday afternoon, but it doesn’t look promising for the hometown team to start the year.

The Carolina Panthers dropped off big time in 2016 from their incredible 2015 season that saw them appear in Super Bowl 50, and now we’ll see if they can get things going once more in their season opener on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers don’t have a ton to look forward to this season, evident by the fact that Brian Hoyer is starting at quarterback for them in the game, and it doesn’t look promising for the 49ers heading into the year.

On the other end, the Panthers will see the return of Kelvin Benjamin to their offense, giving Cam Newton something to work with on offense as they look to return to their old dominance with the new addition of Christian McCaffrey to their lineup.

Unfortunately, no one outside of San Francisco likely sees the 49ers coming out on top in this game, and it’ll likely be a nice coming out party for the Panthers as they look to return to the top of the NFC South. They’ll need to get a jump early on the Atlanta Falcons in the division, and what better way to do it than with a blowout win over a fellow NFC foe.

Odds: Panthers -5.5, according to SportsBook Review

The Panthers offense just has too many weapons in all elements of their game at the moment, and I see them pulling away quickly with some fast-paced scoring. With a ton of great games to watch on Sunday to open the year, this game will likely turn out to be a snoozer late in the day with the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks dominating the headlines.

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The game likely won’t be close, and I see the Panthers winning comfortably to open their season on a high note.

Pick: Panthers 27, 49ers 10