Bears vs Panthers Prediction NFL Thursday Night 11/9

Lm Tipster
Nov 9, 2023, 5:55:55 AM

Thursday Night Football Showdown

Thursday Night Football brings us a clash between two struggling teams as the Carolina Panthers (1-7, 1-6-1 ATS) hit the road to take on the Chicago Bears (2-7, 3-5-1 ATS). Both teams are eager to secure a much-needed win in this mid-season encounter.

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers are reeling from a recent home defeat against the Colts, where they fell short with a 27-13 score while playing as 1.5-point underdogs. Bryce Young, their rookie quarterback, faced a challenging game, throwing two interceptions returned for touchdowns, significantly impacting the outcome.

Bryce Young, currently ranking 26th in the NFL in passing yards, has had a difficult rookie season, notably with his 8-7 TD-INT ratio. This performance stings even more for Panthers fans since the team passed on CJ Stroud, who boasts an impressive 14-1 TD-INT ratio.

Despite these struggles, the Panthers are determined to create opportunities for Bryce Young to succeed. Adam Thielen has emerged as their top receiving target with 62 catches this season, while Jonathon Mingo, the second-highest Panther, has just 20 receptions. Thielen averages 76.3 yards per game and has found the end zone four times. With Miles Sanders sidelined due to injury, Chubba Hubbard has taken over as the primary rusher, averaging 41.0 yards per game with one touchdown this season.

Carolina's offensive struggles are evident in their rankings. They currently sit at 28th in the league for total offense, averaging 283.4 yards per game. Additionally, they rank 27th in scoring, putting up just 17.5 points per game. Unfortunately, their defense ranks last in the league, allowing a whopping 28.3 points per game.

Linebacker Frankie Luvu leads the team in tackles with 62, and linebacker Brian Burns is the leader in sacks with five. However, no Panther player has more than one interception this year. The Panther defense has generated only seven takeaways this season, while their offense has turned the ball over 11 times.

Injury Report:

Questionable: DJ Chark Jr. (229 receiving yards), LB Brian Burns (5 sacks), S Xavier Woods (24 tackles).

Chicago Bears

On the flip side, the Bears had a tough battle against the Saints and were tied at 17 going into the 4th quarter. Despite outgaining the Saints 368-301, the Bears struggled with turnovers, committing five in total, including three interceptions by Tyson Bagent. In contrast, the Saints didn't turn the ball over once, making it the key difference in the game.

Justin Fields was limited in Monday's walk-through and is listed as day-to-day. The Bears may choose not to rush Fields back on a short week, especially with playoff contention slipping away. If Fields remains sidelined, Tyson Bagent will take the reins. Bagent is averaging 174.3 yards per game with a 3-6 TD-INT ratio, though he has had his struggles since a promising start against the Raiders.

One of the few bright spots for the Chicago offense has been DJ Moore, who averages 81.7 yards per game and has scored five touchdowns. Tight end Cole Kmet is another red zone threat with five touchdowns, averaging 41.6 yards per game. With Khalil Herbert still sidelined, D'Onta Foreman has taken the lead as the primary rusher, averaging 57.4 yards per game with two touchdowns.

Defensively, the Bears rank 28th in the league, allowing an average of 26.9 points per game. They have the league's worst turnover differential, with just nine takeaways against 18 turnovers. Linebacker TJ Edwards ranks second in the NFL in tackles with 100 for the season, and Montez Sweat, newly acquired, has recorded 6.5 sacks. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson leads the team with two interceptions.