Carolina Panthers vs San Francisco 49ers Betting Preview: Game Analysis
The San Francisco 49ers head to Carolina to take on the Panthers in a NFC showdown. Can the Panthers bounce back from a loss at home to the Cardinals? Sportsmemo NFL handicapper Eric Pauly shares his thoughts and makes a free, expert Carolina Panthers vs San Francisco 49ers week 5 betting pick.
Carolina Panthers vs San Francisco 49ers Betting Pick – What Are the Best Odds?
Sunday, October 9 | NFL Week 5 Betting Notes |
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Point Spread: | Carolina Panthers +6.5 vs San Francisco 49ers |
Total: | o/u 39.5 Points |
Location: | Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC |
Game Time: | 4:05pm ET / 1:05pm PT (Odds Above Courtesy of DraftKings) |
TV: | CBS |
Carolina Panthers vs San Francisco 49ers Prediction : 49ers Make Cross-Country Trip
On Sunday Afternoon, the 2-2 49ers travel to Charlotte to take on the 1-3 Panthers in an NFC showdown. San Francisco is coming off a dominant win on Monday Night against the Rams while the Panthers are coming off a 10-point loss to the Cardinals.
San Francisco’s defense is one of the best in football while the Panther’s offense leaves a lot to be desired. This is a make-or-break game for Baker Mayfield and the Panthers.
Panthers Pitiful on Offense
The Carolina Panthers beat the Saints in Week 3, but their other games this season were ugly losses. Carolina got the doors blown off them in the 2nd half of Week 4, they lost to the Giants in Week 2, and they lost on a last-second field goal to the Browns in Week 1. They have played three lower-tier teams, and the Panthers look lower than all of them.
Carolina’s issues on offense run deep. The Panthers are 32nd in total yards, 31st in first downs, 30th in passing yards, 23rd in rushing yards, 32nd in third-down offense, and 28th in red zone offense.
Mayfield has been sacked 11 times this season and he is averaging 6.4 yards per attempt with a 54.7 completion percentage.
Carolina has scored most of their points in the 2nd and 4th quarters this year, and that is because they are playing from behind in garbage time. Their inability to put together scripted drives to start each half is a serious concern.
We knew the Panther’s offense probably would not be great this season, but I expected more from their defense. They are playing well, but I thought this unit could ascend much higher.
The Panthers are 18th in yards allowed per game, 12th in passing yards allowed and 25th in rushing yards allowed. They are 17th in third-down D which is not great, but they are 4th in Red Zone defense which is crucial.
San Francisco Stout on Defense
The 49ers lost Trey Lance for the season, and while I wish him a speedy recovery, I still do not understand the decision to let him play. Jimmy G. is a far superior player, and he has shown it in his two appearances this season.
The 49ers pound the rock offensively anyway, so there is no surprise there, but the one surprise for this team is their defense. We knew it would be good, but this is a top-five unit in the entire NFL.
On defense, the 49ers are 2nd in yards allowed on defense, 1st in first down defense, 3rd in passing yards allowed, first in touchdowns allowed, 3rd in yards per attempt on defense, 3rd in sacks, 3rd in rushing yards allowed, 1st in rushing yards per attempt, 6th in third-down defense, and 5th in red zone percentage. This unit is legit and is easily one of the best units in the entire NFL.
On offense, Jimmy Garoppolo has been much better than Lance was for this team. In three games played, Jimmy G. has a 61% completion percentage, 7.8 yards per attempt, and just one interception.
The strength of this 49ers game, as it’s always have been, is their run game. On offense, the 49ers are 9th in rushing yards and 6th in rushing touchdowns this year.
Carolina Panthers vs San Francisco 49ers Prediction
In the NFL nothing is simple, but looking at this matchup, nothing needs to be too complicated. The Panthers’ offense is one of the worst in the NFL and the 49ers’ defense is one of the best in the NFL.
The Panthers rush defense has been worse than its pass defense, and they now have to defend one of the best rush offenses in the league.
It’s only Week 5, but the Panthers’ season is on thin ice. At 1-3, if they go to 1-4, it will be hard to bounce back from. Carolina may switch back to Darnold if Mayfield cannot get the job done. Looking at this game, I do not see any reason to bet on the Panthers.
Prediction: San Francisco 49ers -6.5
Opening Line Report | NFL Week 5
Don’t just stop at this Carolina Panthers vs San Francisco 49ers betting pick! Listen to Teddy Covers and Drew Martin every Monday during the NFL season as they preview opening lines for next week’s games. This past Monday they previewed this NFC clash between the Carolina Panthers vs San Francisco 49ers among other games giving their expert betting analysis.
NFL Odds Board
WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NFL point spreads, totals and betting percentages for all of the Week 5 games, including this Carolina Panthers vs San Francisco 49ers showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Eric Pauly, @slimeaction on Twitter, graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Finance. Eric is a die-hard Washington Commanders and New York Knicks fan and enjoys watching and writing about the NFL, NBA and MLB. His favorite gambling movements include hitting a +1000 future on Washington to win the NFC East in 2020 and predicting Jonathan Taylor’s breakout season with a +900 ticket for him to win the 2021 NFL rushing title. Aside from the sports betting industry, and making a brilliant Cleveland Browns vs Los Angeles Chargers betting pick, Eric also enjoys good eats, dynasty fantasy football leagues, daily fantasy sports and playing the guitar.
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