The Carolina Panthers suffered through an injury-marred campaign a season ago which prevented the surpassing of their season win total odds in Matt Rhule’s first year at the helm. Understandable considering the head coach was forced to go at all opposition without the services of Christian McCaffrey much to the chagrin of his fantasy and player prop backers at online sportsbooks. But Run CMC is said to be 100 percent healthy and ready to get back in the huddle for a Panthers team that won five games and saw itself on the wrong side of a number of close defeats a season ago. Linemakers took notice of the improvements made under the first-year coaching staff enough to tag the Panthers with a 7.5-game win total that’s a full two games higher than it was last year. High praise for a team that was a win away from bringing up the rear of the division! With the defense likely to take another step forward in the rebuild with more reinforcements brought in (Jaycee Horn) and second place in the NFC South there for the taking, I’m bullish on Carolina making some noise for risk-taking NFL bettors in 2021-22. It’ll all come down to Sam Darnold living up to his No. 3 billing in the 2018 NFL Draft and putting the nightmare that was his stay in New York behind him.
Carolina Panthers Season Win Total: 7.5 Under -115
I bet the over on the Panthers win total last season and knew it was doomed after suffering a gross loss at home to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1. I had that bout pegged as a win! Though the team went on to rattle off three straight wins following the loss to the Buccaneers the following week, it was simply unable to log three more the rest of the way. While getting a total of three games from McCaffrey played a huge role, Carolina still had opportunities to get the job done in games against the Bears, Saints, Chiefs, Vikings and Broncos but came up short each and every time. The 5-11 record saw the under cash for the third straight season as well as the fourth in five. Nothing about the Panthers overall body of work on either side of the ball shouts positive regression is coming, but you can’t look at those rankings and buy in fully due to the season-changing injury suffered in the backfield.
NFL Regular Season Wins Odds at BookMaker
Carolina Panthers Football Schedule
Week 1: Jets at Panthers, Sunday, September 12, 1 p.m. ET
Week 2: Saints at Panthers, Sunday, September 19, 1 p.m. ET
Week 3: Panthers at Texans, Thursday, September 23, 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Week 4: Panthers at Cowboys, Sunday, October 3, 1 p.m. ET
Week 5: Eagles at Panthers, Sunday, October 10, 1 p.m. ET
Week 6: Vikings at Panthers, Sunday, October 17, 1 p.m. ET
Week 7: Panthers at Giants, Sunday, October 24, 1 p.m. ET
Week 8: Panthers at Falcons, Sunday, October 31, 1 p.m. ET
Week 9: Patriots at Panthers, Sunday, November 7, 1 p.m. ET
Week 10: Panthers at Cardinals, Sunday, November 14, 4:05 p.m. ET
Week 11: Washington at Panthers, Sunday, November 21, 1 p.m. ET
Week 12: Panthers at Dolphins, Sunday, November 28, 1 p.m. ET
Week 13: Bye Week
Week 14: Falcons at Panthers, Sunday, December 12, 1 p.m. ET
Week 15: Panthers at Bills, Sunday, December 19, 1 p.m. ET
Week 16: Buccaneers at Panthers, Sunday, December 26, 1 p.m. ET
Week 17: Panthers at Saints, Sunday, January 2, 1 p.m. ET
Week 18: Panthers at Buccaneers, Sunday, January 9, 1 p.m. ET
Carolina Panthers Win Total Analysis
I’m not a believer in the Falcons or Saints this season. Someone will defy expectations and that team will be the Panthers! Linemakers adding two games to this year’s win total even though the team only managed five wins a season ago is telling. The schedule should allow for the Panthers to gain some confidence early on. Should it be able to scratch out five wins through Week 8, it’ll be in a prime position to surpass this impost regardless of the fact that the second half of the schedule is nightmarish to say the least. I’ll however bank on that quick start propelling this team to a couple of wins in games they’ll likely be installed heavy underdogs in. Carolina’s schedule that consists of the NFC South, NFC East, AFC East, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals rates out as the 13th easiest per the folks at Sharp Football Stats. However, the tail end of it is a bear with the Cardinals, Washington Football Team, Dolphins, Bills and Buccaneers (X2) all on the docket.
So long as Darnold holds up his end of the bargain and the injury bug is kind, the offense is going to put points on the board with McCaffrey in the backfield and the wide receiver duo of DJ Moore and Robbie Anderson one of if not the most disrespected in the league. Each went over 1,000 receiving yards and combined for 7 TD catches with Teddy Bridgewater at the helm. Teddy B is a capable quarterback, but I’ve still got hope that Darnold has much more in the tank than he’s led on throughout his first three seasons in the league. If anyone can get it out of him, it’ll be the QB Whisperer otherwise known as Joe Brady. This is a team that defied linemakers expectations by logging a 9-7 record versus the closing NFL odds last season even though it only won five games. I’m a believer in Rhule and think he’s a winner. Look for him to coach the Panthers up in year two to the point that it surprises numerous NFL bettors to find themselves in the running for a wild card slot come January. If nothing else, hammer them in Week 3 at Houston in their only prime-time game of the season!
Carolina Panthers Season Win Total Prediction: Over 7.5
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