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Detroit knocked off the Minnesota Vikings on the road last time out and are likewise tied atop the NFC North. The Panthers’ offense got rolling last time out, which is something that needed to be done after their defense led the way early on. If Cam Newton can play well, Carolina should be able to stick around in this game and vie for the upset even as the road underdog.
The Lions’ defense has been surprisingly stingy thus far, and with Matthew Stafford playing well at quarterback, this is a team that has the look of a playoff contender.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 5 game is set for Sunday, October 8, 2017, at 1 p.m. ET at Ford Field.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Carolina Panthers +3
Detroit Lions -3
Over/Under 43.5
Odds Analysis
The bettors weren’t swayed by Carolina’s impressive showing last time out as the Lions are the favorites and more than 70 percent of the money is on them to cover. Detroit has also looked good and plays well at home, so there is a good reason why the money is headed that way.
The scoring total is a bit lower than expected because Carolina’s offense is so hard to figure out and its defense is solid. The money is coming in evenly early on but don’t be surprised if the “over” grabs the majority of the action.
Injury Report
Ryan Kalil -- The Panthers center has missed the past three games with a sore neck, including Sunday’s win over the Patriots. Tyler Larsen stepped in for him and Carolina didn’t miss a beat, but the Panthers would still likely to get Kalil back sooner rather than later.
Jarrad Davis -- The Lions’ first-round pick started the first two games of the season and finished with 15 tackles and a sack against the Cardinals and Giants but has been dealing with a concussion recently. He hasn’t played in the past two games and it’s unknown if he will be available for this one.
Kenny Golladay -- Detroit’s rookie burst onto the scene in the first game, catching a pair of touchdown passes against Arizona. He gives the Lions another weapon alongside Golden Tate, Marvin Jones and Eric Ebron in the passing game, but Golladay has been limited by a hamstring injury.
Player To Watch
Antony Zettel -- Getting after the quarterback seemed like it would be an issue this season for the Lions, who only had Ezekial Ansah as a proven commodity. Zettel has been a huge contributor thus far with four sacks in four games.
He isn’t a household name yet but if he continues to get after the quarterback his star should continue to rise. Newton is extremely tough to bring down, and if he is able to extend plays with his feet it will make it tough on the Detroit defensive backs.
However, if Zettel, Ansah and the rest of the defensive line can put together a nice group effort and keep him contained, the Panthers could have trouble moving the ball consistently. The Lions’ improvement this season has to do with several players taking a step forward, and Zettel is one of the key ones.
Free ATS Pick
The Panthers are a hard team to figure out. One minute they look fantastic, the other they look poor. This is a team that went 15-1 two seasons ago and made the Super Bowl, so the high-end potential is still there.
However, the home field advantage is big in this one. The Panthers have been doing a lot of traveling and managing another road upset seems too much to ask. Take the surprising Lions to win another game as they continue their push forward. Detroit is also the choice to cover.
NFL Odds: Lions 27, Panthers 21
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