We are going to see another low-scoring primetime game. This one should put Al Michaels to sleep by the 3rd quarter. The 1-7 Carolina Panthers will visit the 2-7 Chicago Bears tonight. These two teams made waves in the 2023 NFL Draft with a blockbuster trade that sent WR DJ Moore to Chicago and rookie QB Bryce Young to Carolina. Bryce just has not delivered on that investment yet. He has a 1-6 record as a starter, 1,375 passing yds (196 per game average), 8 TDs, and 7 INTs. He's been sacked 26 times, which is 5th-worst among the league's quarterbacks. With Bryce behind center this year, the Panthers' offense moves the ball at a snail's pace. They're 31st in football with an average of 4.2 yards per play. Young does not have a single completion of over 50 yards this season. When you are not capable of generating big plays and need to move the ball a few yards downfield at a time, you are more likely to run into a third down you can't convert or worse, make a mistake and turn the ball over.
If there's a game on the schedule for Bryce to turn it around, though, it's this one. Chicago is dead last in sacking the QB this year. They have only 10 in 9 games! In addition, they've allowed the highest 3rd down conversion rate of any team at 48.7%. So, the Panthers' dink and dunk offense could actually work a bit against the Bears. Chicago is hoping new addition Montez Sweat can help to improve the defensive unit in those areas. On offense, the Bears are starting backup QB Tyson "Bage Against the Machine" Bagent - a rookie out of Division 2 Shepherd University (shoutout to the PSAC). He's gone 1-2 as a starter, with the win being against a Raiders team was in "we're quitting on our a-hole coach" mode. Bagent has turned the ball over too much, tossing 5 interceptions in his last two games. I love his moxie, but he has limitations. I don't think he can take full advantage of the injuries in the Panthers' secondary tonight. If the Bears are going to succeed, they are going to have to hand the ball to D'Onta Foreman and play football the way our grandfathers played. We are going to see some frustrating offensive football tonight - both teams are going to turn the ball over and both teams are going to be penalized often (both are top ten in penalties called against). I'll predict a 17-16 Chicago win and both QBs to throw interceptions.
Predictions:
Under 38.5 (-110)
Over 1.5 Combined Interceptions (+100)
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