Chicago Bears vs Carolina Panthers Picks and Predictions October 6th 2024

The Panthers and Bears will face off at 1:00 ET on Sunday, October 6th at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Bears are favored at -193 on the money line, and the point spread is -4 in favor of the Bears. This week five NFC matchup is being televised on FOX, and the over/under line is set at 42 points.

Carolina vs. Chicago Key Information

The Panthers fell to the Bengals 34-24, dropping their record to 1-3 for the season. Carolina fell behind early, as the Bengals led 7-0 after the 1st quarter. Despite the Panthers tying the score in the 2nd quarter with a Chuba Hubbard touchdown, the Bengals responded with two more touchdowns to take a 21-14 lead at halftime. Carolina added a late 4th quarter touchdown to make the final score 34-24.

Heading into the game, the Panthers were 5-point underdogs, and the combined 58 points easily surpassed the O/U line of 46.5 points. Carolina was looking to bounce back after a 36-28 loss to the Cowboys in week three, but they were unable to come out on top in this one. The Panthers will look to get back on track in week five when they take on the Eagles.

Carolina’s offense put up 24 points in their most recent game, despite losing to the Bengals 34-24. The Panthers had 24 first downs and 373 total yards. They ran for 155 yards on 29 attempts and converted 50% of their third down chances. Quarterback Andy Dalton threw for 220 yards, completing 25 of 40 passes, with two touchdowns and one interception.

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Chuba Hubbard led the team in rushing with 104 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt and scoring one touchdown. Diontae Johnson was the top receiver, with 83 yards and one touchdown, including a long reception of 39 yards.

In their 34-24 loss to the Bengals, the Panthers’ defense allowed 141 rushing yards on 31 attempts. Overall, they gave up 373 yards and struggled to get off the field on third downs, allowing the Bengals to convert 53.8% of their third down attempts. Despite forcing one interception, Carolina didn’t record any sacks in the game.In the passing game, the Panthers gave up 232 yards, with the Bengals completing 71% of their passes. Carolina also allowed two passing touchdowns and finished with a tackles for loss differential of +3.

Chicago’s 24-18 win over the Rams improved their record to 2-2. The Bears were favored by -3, and their win also resulted in a win against the spread. The combined 42 points went over the 40.5-point line. Chicago fell behind early, with the Rams hitting a 46-yard field goal, but the Bears responded with a 1-yard rushing touchdown from Roschon Johnson to take a 7-6 lead before adding a late field goal in the 2nd quarter.

The Bears extended their lead in the 3rd quarter with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Williams to DJ Moore. In the 4th quarter, Kyren Williams added a 3-yard rushing touchdown, and Williams found Cole Kmet for a 10-yard touchdown pass to secure the win. Chicago also covered the -3-point spread as the game finished with a 6-point margin in their favor.

Chicago’s offense managed 17 first downs in their 24-18 win over the Rams. They put together 131 rushing yards on 28 attempts, with D’Andre Swift leading the way with 93 yards on 16 carries and adding 72 receiving yards. Quarterback Caleb Williams completed 73% of his passes for 157 yards and one touchdown.

The Bears struggled in the passing game, with Williams being sacked three times and finishing with just 133 yards through the air. Williams’ lone touchdown pass was to Swift. The offense also struggled on third down, converting only 33.3% of their opportunities.

In their 24-18 win over the Rams, the Bears’ defense allowed 203 passing yards on 20 completions. They also forced one interception and limited the Rams to a 69% completion rate. Chicago’s defense recorded three sacks and held the Rams to 45.5% on third down.Chicago gave up 119 rushing yards on 26 attempts, with the Rams finishing with 322 total yards. The Bears also came away with three more tackles for loss and QB hits compared to the Rams.

Our pick vs. the spread is to take the Panthers to cover as road underdogs in this week five matchup between the Panthers and Bears. Even though the Bears are currently sitting at -4, we have the Panthers losing by a score of 22-20.

As for an over/under pick, with the line sitting at 42 points, we are leaning towards taking the under, with our projections having these teams finishing with 42 combined points.

Rookie Caleb Williams Leads Bears vs. Veteran Andy Dalton, Panthers

The Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers will square off on Sunday afternoon in Chicago, with two quarterbacks at the heart of the contest: rookie Caleb Williams for the Bears and veteran Andy Dalton for the Panthers. Both quarterbacks will be pivotal as their teams look to either maintain momentum or bounce back from a recent loss.

Caleb Williams’ Development as Bears QB

The Bears (2-2) have embraced Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall draft pick from 2022, who has shown promising signs in his early NFL career. Williams, fresh off a standout college career where he won the Heisman Trophy, has given the Bears confidence in his leadership and ability to learn on the fly.

“He’s doing a good job of just kind of taking what the defense is giving him,” Bears tight end Cole Kmet said. “Having that awareness and knowing when to be aggressive.”

Williams has thrown three touchdowns and four interceptions but continues to improve his decision-making. After securing a 106.6 passer rating in last Sunday’s 24-18 win over the Los Angeles Rams, Williams is finding his rhythm in the NFL.

“We expected it and wanted it to happen faster, but that’s the process we’re in,” Williams said. “When we get going, just finding that flow, keeping that flow.”

Bears coach Matt Eberflus noted that Williams is showing more patience, often opting for shorter gains instead of forcing deep throws. The Bears’ offense is starting to click, and Carolina coach Dave Canales sees the progress.

“It takes time to figure out your identity, and they’re working toward that,” Canales said. “They obviously have some skilled players and talent around him.”

Bears Riding Home Momentum

The Bears are feeling confident after improving to 2-0 at home following their win over the Rams. Williams has developed chemistry with key targets, including wide receiver DJ Moore, who is in his second season with Chicago after five years with Carolina. This adds another layer of intrigue, as Moore faces his former team.

Andy Dalton Replacing Bryce Young in Carolina

The Panthers (1-3) are looking to rebound from a 34-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. However, they have shown signs of improvement with veteran quarterback Andy Dalton leading the offense after Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, was benched.

Dalton, who has thrown five touchdowns in the past two games, has helped stabilize the Panthers’ offense.

“They’re a team that is up and rising since he has taken over,” Kmet said of the Panthers with Dalton at quarterback. “It will be a good challenge for our defense.”

Canales praised Dalton’s efficiency, noting, “We’ve asked him to hit the first open guy, and he has done that well.”

Panthers’ Offensive Strengths: Chuba Hubbard and Andy Dalton

In addition to Dalton’s performance, the Panthers have leaned on running back Chuba Hubbard, who has been crucial to their offensive success. Hubbard has become the first Carolina player since Christian McCaffrey in 2021 to log back-to-back games with 120 or more yards from scrimmage.

Bears’ Defensive Challenges and Carolina’s Injuries

The Bears’ defense has been strong, limiting opponents to under 322 yards in all games but one this season. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson emphasized the team’s cohesion: “Everyone on our side of the ball is continuing to gel and we know what we’re trying to do defensively.”

On the other hand, the Panthers are dealing with several injuries, particularly on defense. They lost veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson for the season due to an Achilles injury, and linebacker Josey Jewell (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday. Additionally, top wide receiver Diontae Johnson (ankle) also missed practice. Other key players such as Damien Lewis (elbow), Robert Hunt (hip), Charles Harris (shoulder), Shy Tuttle (foot), and Nick Scott (shoulder) were all limited.

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For the Bears, offensive lineman Teven Jenkins (ribs), defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (groin), and cornerback Terrell Smith (hip) did not practice, while Kmet (knee) and defensive end Montez Sweat (ankle) were limited.

Recent History and Series Overview

This marks the second straight season that the Panthers visit Chicago, where they lost 16-13 last year. The Bears lead the all-time series 8-3, and they’ll look to maintain their home dominance against a Panthers team looking for a turnaround under Dalton’s leadership.