ESPN FPI predictor gives Panthers a shockingly low chance to beat Bears in Week 5

The computers over at ESPN expect the Carolina Panthers to drop to 1-4 on the season.

Schuyler Callihan | 1 Hour Ago

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

Entering the 2024 season, the Carolina Panthers were expected to be the laughingstock of the league and two games in, it felt like that was going to come to fruition. After making a quarterback change, the Panthers have flipped the vibe in the locker room and amongst the fanbase as they believe they can actually compete for the division all of a sudden.

The Panthers had a convincing win over the Las Vegas Raiders and put up a valiant effort in the 34-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Even in defeat, the Panthers' locker room felt upbeat and optimistic.

For this week's game against the Chicago Bears, the Panthers have a 36.6% chance to win according to the ESPN FPI (Football Power Index) matchup predictor.

This number seems ridiculously low, especially considering the Panthers have the quarterback edge in this matchup. Sure, Caleb Williams will be one of the league's top signal callers at some point, but he's going through some growing pains as a rookie. Meanwhile, Andy Dalton has shocked the football landscape through his first two starts as the Panthers' QB1, ranking second in the entire league in QBR behind only Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills.

The Panthers may not leave the Windy City with a W, but giving them only a 36% chance to do so seems way off.