NFL Week 10 Preview: Panthers vs Bears Betting Picks

Carolina Panthers (1-7 SU, 1-6-1 ATS) vs. Chicago Bears (2-7 SU, 3-5-1 ATS)

Week 10 NFL

Date/Time: Thursday Night Football, November 9, 2023 at 8:15PM EST

Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

TV: Prime Video

Point Spread:

Point Spread: CAR +3.5 / CHI -3.5 (Bovada)

Money Line:

Money Line: CAR +155, CHI -180

Over/Under Total:

Over/Under Total: 40.5

The Carolina Panthers come to Soldier Field for an NFC showdown with the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football. Obviously, the NFL was hoping for a more marquee matchup on TNF, with these teams a combined 3-14 entering this spot. For bettors, they haven’t been much better, with a combined 4 covers in 17 games. But it isn’t a terrible matchup from a betting perspective. On Sunday, neither team had a good time of it, with the Bears losing to the Saints, 24-17 in the Superdome, while the Panthers fell to the Colts, 27-13, at home. Carolina now turns around on the short week to take on the Bears on the road. Who can get it done for us on Thursday Night Football?

With Which Team Can You Find More Silver Lining?

The Panthers are hurting at 1-7. Rookie QB Bryce Young is in a tough spot, without having the right things around him to get the job done. We see that lone win a few weeks ago against Houston, 15-13, which is sandwiched by some ugly losses. There isn’t anything about them that really fosters confidence. Their QBs are either too young or too old, the line is trash, the run-game isn’t doing much, and old Adam Thielen has been the only productive part of this offense. Their “D” is awful against the run, they have minimal pass-rush, and make startlingly-few big plays. Even their top corner, a bright spot of this group in CB Jaycee Horn is out. Brian Burns, one of their only other real bright spots on “D” in now in concussion protocol with the short week making a return on Thursday seem doubtful. It’s a pretty bleak situation.

The Bears aren’t far behind, but after alternating wins and losses for four weeks, they hit the skids the last few weeks. The thing about that is they’ve been without Justin Fields, with this week looking like it will at least be possible he returns. It might be odd on a short week to see him back in there, but it seemed like he was almost ready on Sunday. And with him, they’re a far better team and had even started seeing things start to come around with Fields in there before he got hurt. They’ve made a nice effort with Tyson Bagent in there, even competing with the Saints the whole game, despite five turnovers and a bunch of miscues.

I think it is the Bears who deserve a little more optimism heading into the second half of the season. Not everything is peachy. While playing better in the last month, that defense is nothing special. They can play stout “D” here and there, but aren’t a very impactful group. On offense, however, there is talent, a factor that increases if Fields makes his way back to the field. But with Fields and even Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman, they have some X-factor appeal coming out of the backfield. DJ Moore has shown he can have big days in this offense. Cole Kmet is a tight end a team like the Panthers would like to have. It’s hard to say this about a team that has won twice in their last 19 games going back to last year, but the Bears seem more capable of a spike-week, if anything. Some of their recent showings, a 40-20 road-win at Washington and a 30-12 win over the Raiders, it’s hard to imagine this Panthers team posting results like that.

Matchup Issues for Carolina This Week

There are obviously going to be opportunities taking on a 2-7 team, with Carolina’s ability to capitalize a bit up in the air. They’ve struggled in running the ball and while the Bears are often identified as a team that suffers against the run, they’ve been better lately. Opposing quarterbacks have been having success putting up numbers against this bunch, but can the Panthers sustain an offensive attack that is based on the Young-to-Thielen connection? It’s a pretty narrow route. And while most teams aren’t quaking in their boots at the prospects of facing the Chicago run-game, this is a home-spot where you could certainly imagine guys like Foreman and Herbert getting some things done, along with DJ Moore and Cole Kmet taking it to this Carolina pass-defense.

In a lot of ways, the optimism for the Panthers rests on what’s on the opposite sideline, as opposed to a positive outlook on anything they do. And it’s not an altogether faulty premise, especially if we get deeper into the week and it looks like they will hold Fields back. Beating the Bears with Tyson Bagent starting isn’t some massive feat, even for the sideways Panthers. Chicago is also adept at sometimes undermining their own cause, giving another “in” to a Panthers team that could hang in there, peck away like they did against the Texans a few weeks ago, and be in there with a shot at the end of the game.

Lay the Number on the Home Favorite

Laying north of a FG on a steady loser like the Bears doesn’t ring as being the most solid move, perhaps. They’ve had a hard enough time winning games, never mind by specific amounts you need them to win by to cash the ticket. I just think that while the short week affects both teams, having to come into Soldier Field, where it’s starting to get chilly, makes for a tough spot for the Panthers. I see the superior offensive firepower of the Bears creating a little distance by the end of the game, allowing the Bears to get the win and cover at home on Thursday Night Football.

Loot’s Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I’m betting on the Chicago Bears minus 3.5 points.