#1 Pick Will Shine Against Team That Could've Had Him

Panthers vs. Bears, 1:00 ET

For newer bettors one of the biggest things they need to figure out is how to bet with their head instead of their hearts. It is often easy to get lost in the fact that you love your team or a specific player. Or, maybe you listen to a biased news source and start thinking that one team is better than another because of the coverage. I don't have a piece of advice on how to improve this, but all I can tell you is to try and take a step back and objectively look at things. The Panthers are taking on my hometown Bears - I'm not a fan, but I hear a lot about this team being in Chicago, but I still think we can get a win here.

The Panthers were the worst team in football and they decided it was time to make a change before it got too late. Carolina started the season with two losses with Bryce Young under center and decided they had seen enough. Andy Dalton was asked to take over and replace Young. In his first start, he looked good, the team won the game over the Raiders and the offense looked like it had potential for the first time in two years. Dalton, in two games, has 539 passing yards and five touchdowns with just one interception. The Panthers put up 36 points against the Raiders and then scored 24 against the Bengals last week. Cincinnati was able to rack up 34 points against the Panther defense, but Carolina seemed to keep it reasonably close most of the time. They still don't have enough pieces to make this work regardless of who is under center. I think Dalton is the right choice, provided that Young actually learns on the sideline. However, he isn't going to lead Carolina to a division title or some sort of playoff experience. He's just a better quarterback right now. The problem is he now faces a significantly tougher defense than the first two he has played. 

Sep 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) celebrates after the Panthers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

There is a lot that still needs to be figured out between the Bears offense and Caleb Williams. Williams has played better than in his first two starts, but he is missing a lot of throws that he probably should be making. He currently has 787 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. His completion percentage has improved in each of his games, but he has just one game with over 200 passing yards. I am curious about his connection with DJ Moore who seems to show visible frustration in each game. Now that Moore is facing is old team, I think the Bears should try and target him often. Moore still leads the team in targets, but he doesn't have that many more yards than Rome Odunze or Cole Kmet. Last season against the Panthers, Moore hauled in five of his nine targets for 58 yards and no touchdowns. That was with Justin Fields - who did have a good relationship with Moore - but Williams is certainly a better passer. The Bears defense is still looking like one of the best in the sport. I think they will struggle on the ground, and I think the passing game is better, but not good enough to expose Chicago. 

Last season these two played with huge implications - a Bears win helped them also secure the #1 overall pick via trade from Carolina, and then they grabbed Odunze with their own spot. This season, what has changed? Dalton is better for the Panthers, but so is the quarterback play from Chicago - at least it should be. Chicago is once again at home in this one, and I believe Williams is going to keep improving. I like the Bears to win and cover this one. Even if the offense is just average, their defense has shown they can position an average (or below average) offense for a win. Back the Bears in this one. Don't be surprised if it is a tough game though as the Panthers have certainly showed signs of life. 

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