Bengals vs. Panthers Prediction, Odds, Spread, Injuries, Trends for NFL Week 4

Iain MacMillan | 3 Hours Ago

Sep 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) throws the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers looked like the worst team in the NFL through the first two weeks of the season before making the bold decision to bench their No. 1 overall selection from the 2023 draft, Bryce Young, in favor of veteran backup, Andy Dalton.

All of a sudden, the Panthers looked like a completely new team, demolishing the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, beating them on the road by a final score of 36-22.

They now return home to host the Cincinnati Bengals who have a surprising 0-3 record, falling as big favorites to both the Patriots and Commanders.

Can the Panthers keep moving in the right direction and record another win on Sunday? Can the Bengals finally get their first victory of 2024? Let’s find out what the oddsmakers think.

Bengals vs. Panthers Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

Bengals -4.5 (-110)
Panthers +4.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Bengals -225
Panthers +188

Total

OVER 48.5 (-105)
UNDER 48.5 (-115)

Bengals vs. Panthers How to Watch

Date: Sunday, Sept. 29
Time: 1:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Bank of America Stadium
How to Watch (TV): FOX
Bengals record: 0-3
Panthers record: 1-2

Bengals vs. Panthers Betting Trends

The OVER is 7-2 in the Bengals' last nine games
The OVER is 6-1 in the Bengals' last seven road games
Bengals are 9-1 straight up in their last 10 games vs. NFC opponents
Panthers are 1-4 ATS in their last five games
The UNDER is 10-4 in the Panthers' last 14 games
Panthers have lost six straight games against AFC North opponents
The UNDER is 8-1 in the Panthers' last nine home games
Panthers are 6-12 ATS in their last 18 games as underdogs

Bengals vs. Panthers Injury Reports

Bengals Injury Report

Trent Brown, OT - Out
Sheldon Rankins, DT - Questionable
Tanner Hudson, TE - Questionable
B.J. Hill, DT - Questionable

Panthers Injury Report

Shy Tuttle, DT - Questionable
Adam Thielen, WR - Questionable
Damien Lewis, G - Questionable
Lonnie Johnson Jr., CB - Questionable

Bengals vs. Panthers Key Players to Watch

Cincinnati Bengals

Vonn Bell: The return of Vonn Bell to the Bengals' this offseason was supposed to mean a significant improvement to their defense, but they got torched by Jayden Daniels and the Commanders on Monday night. Now, Bell will face the team he played for in 2023 as he tries to lead the Bengals to its first win of the season.

Carolina Panthers

Andy Dalton: There's no question that Andy Dalton is the guy to watch for the Panthers this week. He torched the Raiders in Week 3, throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns in his first start since taking over from Young. It'll be fascinating to see if he can carry that momentum into this week.

Bengals vs. Panthers Prediction and Pick

instead of betting on a side in this game, I like the total instead. I broke down the pick in this week's edition of the "Road to 272 Bets":

The Panthers are still an unknown with Andy Dalton at quarterback. They looked fantastic against the Raiders last week with the Red Rifle at the helm, but whether or not that was a blip in the radar or a true indication of the long-term potential of this offense is yet to be seen.

What I am confident in is that both defenses in this game are some of the worst in the NFL. The Bengals just allowed the Commanders to gain 6.2 yards per play against them including 9.9 yards per pass attempt. The Carolina defense is also in the bottom 10 in almost every single metric and their secondary has allowed 7.2 yards per throw, which ranks 26th in the NFL.

You can sell me on Dalton reinvigorating the Panthers' offense, but I'm not ready to buy in on their defense. A similar thing can be said about the Bengals who may be all offense, no defense this season.

I'll sit back and root for points in this one.

Pick: OVER 48.5 (-110)