Carolina Panthers @ Las Vegas Raiders (LA -6, 40)
NFL ODDS, NFL PREDICTIONS, NFL PREVIEWS
Carolina Panthers @ Las Vegas Raiders
At this point, it seems sad to say that Carolina are every team’s second bye week. Bryce Young’s benching distracts from an overall roster that is seriously struggling. It is borderline hilarious to look at the Panthers' statistical output so far, ranking dead last in the NFL for points scored, with 6.5, and points against, with 36.5. On average, they are losing by 30 points per game. Ouch.
Their rushing yardage total of 148 is 29th in the NFL and their passing yardage total of 102 is 31st. They also can’t stop their opponents in either category, with teams averaging 199.5 yards against them on the ground and a 75% completion rate against them through the air. The bottom line is, that this is one of the worst NFL teams we have ever seen, and they are probably already on the clock.
Andy Dalton is at least a seasoned pro who might be able to give some of his playmakers an opportunity to show what they can do, but there still feels little reason for optimism with him under center.
He and this woeful Panthers roster will be facing off against a Las Vegas Raiders side that is fresh off an upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Vegas have been abysmal at running the ball, as evidenced by a league-lowest 49 yards per game, but they have been effective enough through the air. This is primarily because of their stud rookie tight end Brock Bowers, who has been as good as advertised, and the still outrageously talented veteran Davante Adams.
Luke Getsy, the Raiders offensive coordinator, has smartly kept things simple for Gardner Minshew, focusing primarily on those two stud receivers, and serving up easy throws for Minshew. Minshew’s 5.6 average depth of target is third lowest amongst starters in the NFL, which, funnily enough, is still higher than Mahomes at 5.1, who is the lowest.
The one weak spot for Las Vegas has been their run game, with Zamir White averaging just 3.1 yards per carry, and Alexander Mattison averaging 2.2. Vegas will definitely want to see more juice from them in this game to build confidence. If they can't get it going against this Panthers' defense, it will be hard to imagine the Raiders being able to lean on their run game at any point during this season.
The bottom line here is, that Carolina don't have the personnel to challenge anyone. Yes, Dalton will likely add some life to the passing game, but the run game has been dismal and the defense completely impotent, which suggests another easy walkover for their opposition. Given the Raiders just toppled Baltimore, it is difficult to see any other outcome.
Get free NFL Picks and NFL Predictions for the top games on the weekly 2024 NFL schedule from JA Cavalier, one of the industry's premier expert NFL handicappers. J.A. Cavalier has been bringing the NFL betting community the best NFL free picks and predictions for nearly three decades. Visit daily for the best NFL moneyline and run line odds and game totals.