Bengals vs. Panthers Week 4 Predictions & Picks

NFL Week 4 – Cincinnati Bengals at Carolina Panthers
Where: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)
When: Sunday, September 29th at 1:00 PM EST
Watch: FOX

Betting Odds

Spread: Cincinnati Bengals -4.5
Over/Under: 47.0

We have an AFC vs. NFC matchup at 1 o’clock this Sunday as the Cincinnati Bengals will travel south to take on the Carolina Panthers. Entering the 2024 season, this is not a game that anybody would have circled on the calendar. The Bengals were poised to be a contender to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, and the lowly Panthers had been written off and the only thing they would be contending for would be the first overall pick in next year’s draft. But oh, how the mighty have fallen. This game now has all the makings of a must-watch because of how things have played out through the first three weeks. There is no surefire winner in this matchup any longer, but it feels like a must-win on both sides. Let’s take a closer look at each squad and see how they compare before I give you my pick.

Cincinnati Betting Preview

The Bengals came into the year with extremely lofty expectations, and some even considered them a guaranteed playoff team. The Bengals currently sit at 0-3 and have lost twice at home (Patriots and Commanders) and once on the road (Chiefs). Their offense has been one dimensional and they are much more efficient with the pass compared to the run. Led by Joe Burrow, Cincinnati is averaging 237.3 passing yards per game and Burrow has thrown five touchdowns and no interceptions. Many of these passing yards came out of necessity as the Bengals have trailed frequently and were forced to abandon the run. Outside of the last game against the Commanders, number one receiver Ja’Marr Chase has had a slow start to the season. Both of his two touchdown catches came last week, and on the season, he has tallied 16 catches for 215 yards.

Fellow receiver Tee Higgins just made his return after missing the first two games of the year and should provide a much-needed boost to the offense, where tight end Mike Gesicki is the second leading receiver. On the ground, the Bengals are averaging only 89.3 yards per game, and neither Zack Moss nor Chase Brown have been able to capitalize on their touches. Moss is the lead back for now, but Brown may take that role over as the season progresses. Defensively, the Bengals cannot stop the run. They rank 26th in the league in rushing yards allowed and concede 142.3 per game to opponents. Cincinnati allows 26.7 points per game as well, which puts them in the 26th spot overall.

Carolina Betting Preview

The Carolina Panthers have been a bottom-dwelling team for the past decade. They drafted quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick a few years back, and he has not lived up to expectations. He has now been benched in favor of NFL veteran Andy Dalton. All Dalton did with his starting opportunity was throw for 319 yards and three touchdowns en route to a blowout victory on the road against the Raiders. Dalton’s proficiency seemed to unlock the Panthers’ offense, and receiver Diontae Johnson was the primary beneficiary. The Panthers spread the ball around in Week 3 and boasted a 100+ yard rusher and receiver in the game, something that they didn’t even come close to with Bryce Young under center.

The previously stagnant offense now has some major momentum they can carry into this matchup. Dalton, a former Bengal himself, has an opportunity to solidify his place as the Panthers starter and send his old team into a downward spiral. The Panthers’ defensive stats are rough, but many of them are skewed due to the offensive inefficiencies. They currently rank dead last in points allowed per game with 31.7. They are slightly better defending the run than the pass, but again, opponents did not need to throw much against the Panthers through the first two weeks and focused more on killing the game clock on the ground.

My Pick: Cincinnati Bengals -4.5

As much as I want to ride the Andy Dalton train and see repercussions of an 0-4 start in Cincinnati, the Panthers are not a good football team. I cannot foresee a world in which the Bengals lose their first four games of the year. Cincinnati has struggled against mobile QBs, but Dalton is not that. They may concede some yardage on the ground, but this is a team that knows they cannot drop another game, or their season may very well be over. The return of Tee Higgins will be critical to the Bengals’ success moving forward, and I expect him and Chase to be uncontainable in Carolina on Sunday. The Bengals bounce-back game is incoming.