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Patriots is Top NFL Betting Favorite vs. Panthers This Sunday

Patriots Are Top NFL Betting Favorite vs. Panthers This Sunday

Written by on September 28, 2017

Two seasons ago, we were perhaps just one play from the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots playing in Super Bowl 50. The Panthers got there, but the Pats lost in the final seconds in Denver for the AFC title. The two teams play Sunday for the first time since 2013, with New England one of the biggest Week 4 NFL betting favorites.

Carolina at New England Week 4 Odds, Preview & NFL Betting Pick

When: Sunday, 1 PM ET Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro TV: Fox Radio: WBT 1110 AM (Carolina) / 98.5 The Sports Hub (New England) Stream Option: NFL Live Opening NFL Betting Lines: Patriots -9 (48.5)

Weather Forecast

  • Clear: 19°C/66°F
  • Humidity: 33%
  • Precipitation: 0%
  • Wind: 5 mph WNW
  • Cloud Cover: 1%
  • Type of Stadium: Open

Latest NFL Betting Trends

  • Panthers are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games on the road
  • Panthers are 3-8 SU in the last 11 games on the road
  • The total went UNDER in 5 of Carolina’s last 7 games
  • Patriots are 9-2 ATS in the last 11 games
  • Patriots are 12-1 SU in the last 13 games
  • The total went OVER in 5 of New England’s last 5 games

Betting on Detroit at Minnesota NFL Odds & Week 4 Game Prediction

 

Why Bet On New England?

The New England Patriots have the NFL’s No. 1 total offense and No. 2 scoring offense. Brady leads the league in passing yards and touchdowns. He has thrown for 825 yards and eight touchdowns in the last two games with 447 yards and three touchdowns at the Saints and 378 yards and five touchdowns vs. Houston. One week after breaking a tie with Peyton Manning by recording his 28th AFC Offensive Player of the Week honor, Brady added No. 29 on Monday after leading the 36-33 win over Houston. Brady led his 52nd career fourth-quarter comeback from a tie or deficit. It also marks the fourth time in Brady’s career that he has won back-to-back AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. The Patriots are an NFL-best 53-17 in the month of October since 2000. The Patriots are 30-5 at home during that time in October and 23-12 on the road.  Last season, the Patriots finished with a 4-1 October record. New England owns a 49-12 (.803) record vs. NFC teams since realignment in 2002, the best inter-conference record in the NFL during that time. Pittsburgh is second with a 41-20 record. After having trouble containing Deshaun Watson in Week 3, the Patriots will have to deal with handling the size and agility of Panthers QB Cam Newton in Week 4. The Texans had five passing plays of 20 yards or more in the game, as the Patriots have now surrendered 13 passing plays of 20 or more yards through three games.

Team Statistics

Offense:
  • Average Score For: 33
  • Total Yards: 440.67
  • Rush Yards: 100.67
  • Passing Yards: 340
Defense:
  • Average Score Against: 31.67
  • Total Yards: 461
  • Rush Yards: 130.33
  • Passing Yards: 330.67

Why Bet On Carolina?

The Panthers visit Gillette Stadium for the first time in the regular season since 2009. The two teams enter the game with 2-1 records. Carolina is coming off its first loss of the season after falling to New Orleans, 34-13, last week.  Carolina’s first-round draft choice Christian McCaffrey tallied nine receptions for 101 yards and Newton rushed for his 49th career touchdown, but it was not enough to overcome three turnovers and three touchdown passes from Saints quarterback Drew Brees. McCaffrey’s performance tied DeAngelo Williams for the most receiving yards by a running back in a single game (at Philadelphia, 12/4/06) in franchise history. Nine receptions also tied Fozzy Whittaker (at Atlanta, 10/2/16) for the most receptions by a running back in franchise history. McCaffrey is currently second in the NFL in receiving yards by a running back with 173, trailing Washington’s Chris Thompson (231). Newton is now tied with LeSean McCoy for second in rushing touchdowns with 49 since Newton entered the NFL in 2011. Are the Panthers a safe bet against the Patriots this Sunday? Bill Belichick on Newton: “I think when you’re talking about mobile quarterbacks, guys that are tough to handle, tackle, can throw, run, make (good) decisions, I would put Newton at the top of the list. … He can do a lot of different things, beat you in a lot of different ways. We saw it in the game down there in ’13. … He’d be Public Enemy No. 1.” Carolina leads the NFL in drives lasting over six minutes. The Panthers added to their total with an opening drive of 8:41 in Week 3 vs. New Orleans. The Panthers have six drives over six minutes, two more than any other NFL team. Will Newton have No. 1 WR Kelvin Benjamin this week? He left the Saints game early with a knee injury. An MRI revealed no structural damage to Benjamin’s left knee, but his Week 4 status is unclear.

Team Statistics

Offense:
  • Average Score For: 15
  • Total Yards: 276.66
  • Rush Yards: 108.33
  • Passing Yards: 168.33
Defense:
  • Average Score Against: 13.33
  • Total Yards: 251.67
  • Rush Yards: 89.67
  • Passing Yards: 162

Series History

It’s tied at 3-3 including Super Bowl XXXVIII on Feb. 2, 2004, won by the Patriots in the final seconds. The teams last played in the regular season in 2013 in a competitive Monday Night Football contest on Nov. 18, 2013 when a Tom Brady pass to TE Rob Gronkowski fell incomplete on the last play of the game to give Carolina a 24-20 win at Bank of America. New England and Carolina are two of only three NFL teams that are not named after a specific city or state. The other team is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
  • Total Meetings: 6
  • First Meeting: October 29th, 1995. Foxboro Stadium. Foxborough, Massachusetts
  • Last Meeting: November 18th, 2013. Bank of America Stadium. Charlotte, North Caroilina
  • All-Time Series: Tied 3-3-0
  • Largest Margin of Victory: New England 38-6 (2002)
  • Longest Win Streak: New England 2 (2002-2004)

Expert NFL Betting Prediction

New England will win this game, but the Pats are nearly 0-2 at home. Take those points as your NFL betting pick.