In just a few weeks, Cam Newton and the defending NFC Champion Carolina Panthers will be heading into the 2016 regular season with one goal in mind: Win it all. They won’t have an easy task ahead, so in case you’re debating whether to put money on them or not, here’s a special season preview featuring a value-packed quartet of NFL betting predictions that could help you strike pay dirt long before the start of the new season.
A Look at Carolina Panthers’ Top NFL Spreads of the Season
Week 1
Carolina at Denver Broncos (-1.5, 43.5)
Analysis: You know what they say about payback right?
Well, I’m fully expecting Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers to march into the Mile High City and hand the Broncos a statement-making beatdown that they remember all season long! Before losing their final two road games last season, including their 24-10 Super Bowl loss against the Broncos, Carolina had won seven straight road games while posting a positive 5-2 ATS mark over the span. Denver is just 2-3-1 ATS in their last six home games and will go into battle with Mark Sanchez as their starting quarterback in 2016. Cam Newton and the Panthers will get the big road win against a Broncos team that will have a bullseye on their backs all season long and won’t be nearly as good as they were in 2015.
The Pick: Carolina 27 Denver 21
Week 9
Carolina (-3.5) at Los Angeles Rams
Analysis: The Panthers have won five of the last half-dozen meetings against the Rams dating back to 2004 and seven of 10 overall going back to 2000. Aside from that history, the Panthers have the better head coach in this contest with Ron Rivera being light years ahead of counterpart Jeff Fisher, who by the way, probably shouldn’t have a job now.
I really like their drafting of quarterback Jared Goff with the firs overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, but the fact of the matter is that Goff needs time to learn. I expect Cam Newton and the Panthers to put on a show worthy of a Los Angeles audience en route to the commanding victory and accompanying ATS cover.
The Pick: Carolina 27 Los Angeles 17
Week 12
Carolina (-3) at Oakland Raiders
Analysis: I know the Oakland Raiders are a popular pick to improve in a big way in 2016 and I’m okay with that point of view. Still, while the Raiders are hoping to reach the playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl XXXVII way back in 2003, the Carolina Panthers are a legitimate Super Bowl title contender that has the superior defense and right now, quarterback. The Raiders went 1-3 SU and a winless 0-4 ATS over their final four home games in 2015 and are facing an uphill battle in this Week 12 matchups against a Panthers team I expect to be playing really well at this point in the season. The Panthers win and narrowly cover the NFL betting odds against young Derek Carr and the revitalized Raiders.
The Pick: Carolina 31 Oakland 24
Week 15
Carolina (-3) at Washington Redskins
Analysis: It’s all nice and everything that the Washington Redskins won nine games last season to reach the playoffs for the first time in ages, but the fact of the matter is that Washington still isn’t the same kind of legitimate title contender as the Panthers. Not only that, but Carolina has won four straight and five of the last six meetings against the Skins while covering the spread in each of the last two meetings, including their emphatic 44-16 home rout last season.
With Washington playing at home this time around, I expect the final score to be a bit different from last season’s mismatch, but the results will be the same as Carolina wins and cover the spread as my final NFL futures bet predictions selection.
The Pick: Carolina 31 Washington 24
