Panthers at Jets: Preview, prediction, odds and pick

We’re getting ready to see the Carolina Panthers visit the New York Jets on Sunday. Which team will prevail in this contest?

The Carolina Panthers are one of the three teams in the NFC South that are at least two game above .500. They trail the New Orleans Saints (8-2) by one game and are ahead of the Atlanta Falcons (6-4). On the other hand, the New York Jets are one of three teams in the AFC East without a winning record. Unfortunately for them, as well as the Buffalo Bills (5-5) and Miami Dolphins (4-6), that’s been the rule rather than the exception for more than a decade.

On Sunday at MetLife Stadium, the Panthers look to make it four straight wins against a Jets’ team looking to take another step forward in what has been a better-than-expected 2017. But what version of Ron Rivera’s team will we see on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey?

Odds

Line: Panthers (-4)

Over/Under: 39.5

Winners of three straight games, the 7-3 Panthers are 4-point road favorites (via OddsShark) over the Jets. The teams are meeting for the first time since 2013 and the Green and White are hosting this series for the first time since ’09.

More fansided.com: NFL power rankings, Week 11: Patriots rumble, Chiefs stumble

Expect both the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets to stumble a bit out of the blocks as each club had Week 11 off. The question here is whether Todd Bowles’ defensive unit is able to handle the seventh-ranked rushing attack in the league, a group that includes quarterback Cam Newton. On the other hand, do the Jets have enough versatility on offense to threaten Carolina’ defense. Rivera’s team remains on the heels of the New Orleans Saints with a key victory.

Pick: Panthers 23, Jets 13