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The Chicago Bears hit the road and travel to the Bank of America Stadium where they will take on the Carolina Panthers. Both these teams are coming off wins in week 5 but the Panthers head to this contest with three consecutive victories, including two on the road.
Chicago is currently second in the NFC North with their 4-1-0 record while Carolina is third in the latest NFC South standings with a 3-2-0 mark after five games played.
When the lines opened, Chicago was the betting favorite but with the money coming in on Carolina, the odds have flipped and the Panthers are currently 1.5 point favorites in this Sunday encounter.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are 4-1 to start the 2020 season. In their last game, Chicago fought back from a 13-0 deficit to defeat Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-19 as 3.5 point underdogs. The Bears were outgained 339-243 but they made the most out of their possessions, including a 27-yard drive right before the end of the first half.
Nick Foles completed 30 of 42 passes for 243 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked three times for a loss of 35 yards. Chicago’s rushing offense was held to only 35 yards on 2.5 carries against the Bucs but somehow, they managed to win the game. Allen Robinson led all receivers with 10 catches for 90 yards.
Chicago ranks 10th against the pass at 230.8 yards per game and are 16th against the run, allowing 113.2 yards per game. They are also 4th in scoring defense with their opponents scoring only an average of 20 points per contest.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers head to this home game having won their last three games. Carolina won on the road against Atlanta, 23-16 the last time out. They did not commit a single turnover in the game while forcing one on the Falcons. Terry Bridgewater has been terrific for the Panthers as he has completed 73% of his passes with a 75.8 QBR which is 9th in the league behind Drew Brees.
Bridgewater completed 27 out o 37 passes for 313 yards with two touchdowns. He didn’t get picked off and wasn’t sacked during the game. Robby Anderson caught eight passes for 112 yards while DJ Moore had four catches for 83 yards and one touchdown. Running back Mike Davis rushed for 89 yards on 5.6 yards per carry while also catching nine passes for an additional 60 yards and a touchdown.
The Panthers defense allows an average of 23.6 points per game which is 12th best in the league. They are also seventh in passing defense at only 227 yards per game allowed and are 21st with 125.3 opponent rushing yards per contest given up.
Who Wins?
Chicago is 5-1 SU in their last six games played. The Bears are 5-0 SU in their last five games against the NFC. Carolina is 3-10 SU in their last 13 games played. The Panthers are 1-5 SU in their last six games played at home, and 2-9 SU in their last 11 games against the NFC. Head to head, the Bears are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played against the Panthers, including 4-1 in their last five.
The Bears are not impressive as a 4-1 SU team. They benched Mitch Trubisky in favor of Nick Foles in Week 3. Foles lost his first start and was lucky to win his second one. Their offense hasn’t looked solid as they rank outside the Top 20 in points scored, total yards, and yards per play.
Offensively, look for them to go to receiver Allen Robinson in Week 6. Robinson ranks 4th in the league in catches with 35 and 7th in yards at 421 while contributing a pair of touchdowns. On defense, this team is very good against the pass and they have a stud outside linebacker in Khalil Mack.
Carolina’s Terry Bridgewater is having a terrific start to the season. He ranks second in the league in completion percentage and is in the Top 10 in QBR and yards. Meanwhile, Mike Davis has filled in nicely for the injured Christian McCaffrey and ranks 9th in the NFL in receptions with 30.
The Panthers have an inexperienced defense that has struggled at times this season. However, they are coming off an excellent outing in Atlanta and they should have no trouble stopping a Chicago team that has yet to find a good offensive groove this season. I don’t think that the Bears are really that good. And I think that the Panthers are playing better right now.
Prediction: Carolina Panthers
Other Bets To Make
Chicago is 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games played. The Bears are 5-1 ATS in their last six games played against the NFC South, and 1-4 ATS in their last five October games. Carolina is 3-2 ATS in five games played this season. The Panthers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven October games but are just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games as the betting favorites. Head to head, the Panthers are 6-3-1 ATS in their last 10 games played against the Bears.
Bears
+1 (-105)
Panthers
-1 (-115)
Odds from MyBookie as of 10/15/2020
With the way Chicago’s offense has struggled, they will have to force turnovers to win this game. Unfortunately for them, the Panthers have a better turnover differential than them. Carolina has also done a better job of protecting their quarterback. Both these teams have good defenses but the Panthers are the better all-around team and are playing at home here.
Prediction: Carolina -1
The total has gone under in 10 out of the last 15 games played by the Bears. Chicago has seen the total go over in four out of their last five games on the road. The total has gone over in 12 out of the last 19 games of Carolina against NFC North division teams. The over is also 6-1 in their last wee 6 games. Head to head, the total has gone over in six out of the last 10 games played between these two teams.
Over
45 (-110)
Under
45 (-110)
Odds from MyBookie as of 10/15/2020
The Chicago Bears offense has really struggled this season. The Bears have scored an average of 19.5 points per game in their last four games played. Defensively, Carolina has held down its last three opponents to an average of 17.7 points per game while the Bears are yielding just 19.3 points per game in their last four outings. The under has cashed in nine out of the last 12 games played by the Bears as a road underdog. I like these teams to hit the under in this game.
Prediction: Under 45
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