The Carolina Panthers were on the verge of defeat against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, but they staged a come-from-behind victory to steal the win. They’ll face a tough challenge on the road next when they meet the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium in Week 6.
The Panthers weren’t the only ones who staged an entertaining comeback on Sunday. The Cleveland Browns fought back from a 25-point deficit to hand Tennessee a loss. The Browns face the Steelers next, and it promises to be another entertaining affair – read our complete preview of that game here.
Read on as we give you everything you’ll need to know to bet on one of the better games on the Week 6 schedule.
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Carolina Panthers vs. Cincinnati Bengals Preview
Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati
When: Sunday, October 12, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Carolina Panthers (+7) at Cincinnati Bengals (-7); total 44.0 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Carolina Panthers
Facing a potential third-straight loss, the Carolina Panthers overcame a 14-point deficit to defeat the Chicago Bears, 31-24, on Sunday. However, the Panthers have a more difficult challenge ahead of them when they travel to Cincinnati on Sunday.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Comfortable with the no-huddle offense, Cam Newton completed 19 of 35 passes for 255 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He connected six times with tight end Greg Olsen for 72 yards and two scores. While their passing helped them avoid their third loss of the season, their rushing offense only put up 90 yards without leading running backs DeAngelo Williams (high ankle sprain) and Jonathan Stewart (knee).
Still, Carolina’s defense and special teams made up for their lack of a running game. Philly Brown returned a punt for a 79-yard touchdown. Meanwhile, defensive linemen Wes Horton, Charles Johnson, Kawann Short, Mario Addison and Dwan Edwards combined for four sacks against Chicago. After their big game against the Bears, they’ll be up for the challenge against a Cincinnati offensive line which has only allowed a single sack in four games.
Nevertheless, if the Panthers want to come away from Cincinnati with a win, they’ll need to limit their turnovers. Rookie receiver Kelvin Benjamin lost a fumble, guard Amini Silatolu was beaten for a strip-sack on Newton, and the quarterback threw his lone interception in the second quarter. Newton will need to be wary of where he throws his passes as the Bengals are tied for fourth in the league with six interceptions so far.
The Panthers are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games dating back to last season.
Betting on the Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals had allowed an NFL-low 11 points per game until they met the New England Patriots Sunday. The Bengals were blown out 43-17, snapping their three-game win streak. They’ll welcome the Carolina Panthers to Paul Brown Stadium next, where they have a sparkling 10-1 ATS record since 2013.
The Bengals failed to convert any of their seven third downs against the Pats, as Andy Dalton went 15-of-24 for 204 yards and was sacked for the first time this season. A.J. Green and Mohamed Sanu each caught touchdown passes, but those were too little, too late.
Still, the Patriots are one of the best teams in pass defense this season allowing 196.6 yards per game. The Bengals will find it more manageable to exploit Carolina’s pass defense which has allowed 238.8 yards per game (18th in the NFL) and the fourth-most passing touchdowns in the league (10).
However, the Bengals’ inability to take care of the ball is concerning. They committed three turnovers against New England, all fumbles; Brandon Tate on a kickoff, while Green and Dane Sanzenbacher both fumbled on receptions. The Panthers have forced the most fumbles in the NFL (10).
If the Bengals surrender possession to the Panthers, then their passing defense which allows 250.8 yards per game (20th in the NFL) will be under heavy fire from Carolina’s 251.6 yards per game (12th in the NFL).
The Bengals are 4-1 against NFC competition since 2013.
Writer’s Prediction
The Bengals (-7) rebound from their loss to the Pats with a confident cover at home against the Panthers. Create a betting account now and get in on all the NFL action.
