It's somewhat of a shock that the Carolina Panthers are still undefeated as we head nearer to November. The oddsmakers didn't believe in them last week, making them touchdown underdogs in Seattle, and now, they're barely favored against the Philadelphia Eagles at home on Sunday Night Football.
WHEN THE CAROLINA PANTHERS HAVE THE BALL
Stats don't always tell the whole story, and we think that's the case with Cam Newton as well. On one blush, we have a man who is completing 55.4 percent of his passes, is averaging just a tick over 200 yards per game and has a TD/INT ratio of a good, yet not spectacular 8/4 in five games.
Furthermore, Newton has averaged 45 yards per game on the ground, and his rushing attack has produced zero runs of more than 22 yards this season.
The wide receivers for this team are still Ted Ginn, Philly Brown, Jerricho Cotchery and Devin Funchess. Arena Football League teams have better receiving corps than that.
And yet, the Panthers are clearly passing the eye test. When the going gets tough, Newton tends to find Greg Olsen, a man who now has 24 catches, 374 yards and three TDs on the season. Even the lousy receivers on the outside have made their presences felt just enough times to win games.
You wouldn't know it, but this team has scored at least 20 points in all of its games this year, including at least 27 in three in a row.
The Eagles can play some defense, but we know that last week's seven points allowed against the Giants was more a product of what New York didn't do offensively as opposed to what Philly did defensively. Yes, this team hasn't allowed more than 26 points in a game this year, but just as Carolina does pass the eye test and doesn't have the stats to back it up, the Eagles, for our money, don't pass the eye test in spite of their stats that do suggest better.
WHEN THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE THE BALL
The Panthers might not be lighting it up with offensive stats, but in the case of their defense, they both meet the eye test and have the stats to prove how legit they are. This defense has never given up this year, and they've constantly given the team the chance to win games.
Opponents are averaging just 5.1 yards per play against this defense, a number which might only get better now that Luke Kuechly is healthy and back in the fold.
Sam Bradford feels like he's a giant walking turnover waiting to happen, something which could be a disaster for live bettors. The Eagles have turned the rock over 14 times this year, the second-worst mark in the league.
The only good news if you're trying to live bet on the Eagles is that they're finally getting the ball in the hands of DeMarco Murray more. Murray has 42 carries for 192 yards and two TDs in his last two games, and he's finally being used more between the tackles where he should be running. The only problem? That's where Star Lotulelei and Kuechly are hanging out waiting for Murray's arrival.
TREND TO TRACK
This is really more of a recent history section than anything else, but last year's 45-21 Eagles win in this series was telling. Carolina got Newton sacked nine times, and it just wasn't able to keep up with the speed of the game in general.
The moral of the story for live bettors is if the Eagles force their up-tempo style of play on Carolina, they could be in great shape. If not, things are very likely to go the Panthers' way.
The NFL odds for this Sunday contest were first released by BookMaker, and the Carolina Panthers were positioned as 3.5-point favorites with a total of 47. Now you can wager in-game while the action unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The game between the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles is set for Sunday, October 25, 2015, at 8:30 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium. The matchup will be televised live on NBC.
