Carolina Panthers Odds
Odds as of Sept. 7 and via DraftKings. Get up to a $1,000 sign-up bonus at DraftKings or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.
If you're new to betting, the Panthers' +12500 Super Bowl odds mean a $100 bet would net $12,500 if they won. [Convert odds using our betting odds calculator.]
While the Panthers have arguably the NFL's best running back in Christian McCaffrey, they're still aiming for a fresh start in 2020. Carolina released quarterback Cam Newton and revamped their coaching staff in the offseason, hoping to improve upon their 5-11 record and last-place NFC South finish in 2019.
Our analysts take a closer look at their win total as well as key questions facing Carolina.
Panthers Win Total
Sean Koerner, our Director of Predictive Analytics, breaks down how he's betting the Panthers' win total.
The Panthers are a rebuilding team that has a lot of turnover heading into 2020. In fact, they're the only team that will have a new head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and starting quarterback entering the season.
Given how limited the offseason has been, that could spell trouble for Carolina from the start.
I'm in line with the market on their win total of 5.5, so this is a pass for me. My in-season strategy for the Panthers will be to fade them early on as their lack of continuity will be a considerable disadvantage, then I'll look to back them once the team begins to gel more.
Key Questions for the Panthers
Stuckey, a football betting analyst and host of The Action Network podcast, runs through three key questions for the Panthers heading into 2020.
1. How will the Panthers deal with all of the change? This is not an ideal year to bring in an entirely new coaching staff, a new starting quarterback and potentially up to 10 or 11 new starters.
2. How much will a new scheme help the defense? Last year, the Panthers switched to a 3-4 base defense in order to generate more of a pass rush. They succeeded in generating more pressure but were absolutely dreadful against the run (32nd DVOA). Carolina will now go back to a 4-3 base this year with Kawann Short and rookie Derrick Brown manning an interior that saw plenty of attrition in the offseason.
The new scheme should theoretically help against the run, but replacing Luke Kuechly with Tahir Whitehead in the middle could end in disaster for a unit that will need to replace eight primary starters, including both top performing corners from 2019.
3. Can Teddy Bridgewater win games? Bridgewater has been more than a serviceable backup and has had success as a starter (especially against the spread), but usually for playoff contenders. He can't simply conservatively manage games this year with a subpar roster against one of the toughest projected schedules in the league.
Bridgewater is at least familiar with offensive coordinator Joe Brady and should limit the turnovers that plagued Carolina last year — I personally just don't think Bridgewater is capable of leading this new-look Panthers team to seven wins.
I gladly jumped on this season win total under.
