Chicago Bears Will Double-Dip Thursday

Panthers vs. Bears, 8:15 ET

Sports betting can be a very humbling thing. There are some weeks where you feel like you can't lose and some weeks where you feel like you can't win. I wouldn't say I change my strategy all that often, but I do make adjustments. There are two big keys though: money management and following your own rules. Money management needs to always be a priority so when you do have a bad night, it doesn't completely deplete you. Also, following your own rules is something important that is easy to overlook. It could be something simple like never take a road favorite in the NBA or something more complex like "Don't bet on a rookie quarterback in primetime on a Thursday Night in November." Whatever it might be, if you make the rule, stick to it. Tonight we have the Panthers taking on the Bears in a Thursday Night Football matchup.

Carolina isn't off to a very encouraging start. At 1-7 they are looking at the worst record in the league, but tonight they face a team that is only 2-7. No matter how bad they are, though, it really doesn't matter because Chicago owns the Panthers first-round draft pick for next year, so the Bears can help themselves twice by winning this game. The reason the Bears own the pick is because the Bears traded their draft capital last year and the Panthers picked Bryce Young. I wouldn't say Young is having a bad season. He's a rookie so there is obviously a lot of room for improvement, but he has 1,375 yards and eight touchdowns. The bigger concern is the seven interceptions. I guess it is fair to share that he has only thrown interceptions in three games. I'm interested to see how he does this game when he has very little time to prepare for the game. This is the first time in his professional career that he plays on a short week. The Bears are a team that doesn't get a lot of pressure on the quarterback and the secondary is somewhat laughable. I would expect Young to have a good game here, but I also don't expect him to pick apart the defense like some of the other opponents have.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 18: Bryce Young #9 of the Carolina Panthers looks to pass against the New Orleans Saints during their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 18, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

The Bears are my hometown team, but I'm much lower on my fandom than my neighbors. I mention it only for transparency (I've said it a few times before, but for those that are new I think it is important to know some potential biases when you're giving out picks for readers). Justin Fields is closer to getting back on the field, but he is still listed as doubtful. If he plays, I think the Bears win this game with ease. He is the better quarterback (at least right now). Tyson Bagent should make his fourth start of the season. He has three touchdown passes and six interceptions on the year, but I will say he looks fairly poised in the pocket even if he is making some silly throws. Against New Orleans last week, the interceptions cost them the game. However, to his credit, he did a bit of a Fields impression with eight scrambles for 70 yards. The Bears have had to face some of the better quarterbacks in the league this season and haven't fared well, but when they faced Sam Howell and Brian Hoyer, they crushed the competition. I'd put Young closer to the current level of Howell and Hoyer.

This game may not come down to quarterback play though. It might come down to who can stop the run and the Bears are probably better at that than the Panthers. I would expect Young to be a better quarterback than Bagent tonight, but that doesn't mean it will result in a ton of points or anything. One thing about the Panthers that stands out to me is they have had almost 60 more offensive plays but 100 fewer yards than opponents this season. The Bears, for comparison, have eight more plays than opponents and 26 more yards. I think the Bears should win this game by a touchdown. If Bagent can just prevent the interceptions, the Bears should be the better team in this one. Back them at -3.

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