All Bets Are In:
Professor’s Bet: Panthers -3 (Taking the Under 49.5)
My head tells me to pick the Saints, but my heart is in Carolina. The defense showed signs of life last week, Star and Ealy played particularly well, and continue to see signs of offensive life. Yes, the Panthers didn’t get into the endzone, but they did move the ball. Hopefully, Shula, who has taken considerable heat, will rev up the offense a bit this week and get some results that ward off his termination.
The pieces have to come together at some point. This week is going to have to be that week. The Panthers back is to the wall after 1-4-1 in the last six weeks. Another loss here would be devastating. This to me is a division title match right here. The team that walks out of BOA has to be the favorite to win the division. Yes, New Orleans schedule gets tough and the Panthers gets easy. I just don’t see Carolina winning in Philadelphia after a demoralizing loss at home. There’s no choice, the Panthers have to get this win. If they do, there’s a real chance they can parlay the victory into some real momentum.
Carolina 24-20
Commish’s Bet:
Panthers +3
(Under the 49.5)
Tonight, all eyes in the NFL will be on Charlotte in a case of a “hot potato” ball game. Neither team has much that points to any sort of advantage over the other. Carolina’s offensive line (and team in general) has been completely decimated by injuries and the unit has been maligned lately even when healthy. Center Ryan Kalil can’t block TWO guys at once! We know the Panthers generally don’t play well at night, and the Saints don’t fare well on the road. Yeah - SOMETHING has to give, doesn’t it? Reminds me of the ancient commercial with “Mikey” eating cereal even though he “hates everything.” A bad road team going to play a bad night team on the road at night, ouch! I’m half expecting the Three Stooges to come out in the opening series and take up spots on the offensive line. With the Saints defense having regressed to 2012 and our own defense having played quite well last week at home, I’m just going to throw my hands up and say that the trend continues. The question becomes if the offense can put things together enough to score a few times. I think that they will, and a healthy backfield duo of Stewie and DeAngelo should help keep Brees on the sideline just enough to win it.
Carolina 24-21
Justin Raymond’s Bet: Panthers -3 (Taking the Over 49.5)
Like I wrote in my latest article, the Carolina Panthers are a bipolar team and we don’t know what to expect from week to week. The offense shows up one game and the next game the defense shows up. When will they both come together? This might be the game where the Panthers solve this issue. The Panthers are at home against a rival team and should bring their “A” game. Brees has plenty of weapons on offense and the Panthers defensive secondary will have to step up, and make some plays. The only way I see the Panthers winning this game is if the defense can get to Brees and pressure him all night. I believe that the Panthers will make this a good game, but they won't come out on top.
Saints 28-24
