The Carolina Panthers visit the Washington Football Team at FedEx Field on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET. Here’s our complete guide to Panthers Football Team Bet Tips. Odds and lines from Panthers-Football Team picks are from PointsBet, current as of Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Carolina Panthers (4-10) at Washington Football Team (6-8)
Panthers Football Team Bet Tips
Odds & Betting Lines for Panthers-Football Team Picks
- Against The Spread: Football Team -1.5 (-110)/Panthers +1.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Football Team (-120)/Panthers (+103)
- Total: 44.5 — Over 44.5 (-108)/Under 44.5 (+112)
- Implied Team Totals: Football Team 23, Panthers 21.5
While the Panthers are out of it after losing eight of their past nine games, the Football Team is not following their slow start to the year.
Washington is in first place in the NFC East with control of its own destiny. Although the Football Team lost to the Seahawks last week, it was a proverbial good loss. Not only was it a one-score game, but the consensus believes Seattle is a vastly superior team over Washington. The Football Team’s Week 15 defeat snapped a four-game winning streak.
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Panthers-Football Team Key Injuries
Panthers
Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey has been a tease for his fantasy football managers and for Carolina fans alike. While it would be wise to just shut him down with his latest ailment, which is to his thigh, it looks like they are not going in that direction with two games left to play.
McCaffrey is doubtful to play on Sunday, which means it will be another outing in which Mike Davis and Rodney Smith are manning Carolina’s backfield.
Football Team
As if Washington’s quarterback situation couldn’t get any muddier, it has done just that. QB Dwayne Haskins was spotted maskless at a strip club recently, which violates NFL COVID policies. While he could face suspension by the league, he is practicing to play this week. He already received a $40k fine from the team due to the violation.
If Alex Smith, is still not good to go with his calf injury, it will be Haskins getting the starting nod for the Football Team in a pivotal Week 16 encounter with the Panthers. At this point, maybe Doug Williams will trade in his front office hat for a helmet and come out of retirement for a game.
Panthers-Football Team Players to Watch
Panthers WR D.J. Moore has come alive in the second half of the year following a sluggish start to the 2020 campaign.
While he did miss Week 14 with a short stint on the COVID list, Moore has gone for 4+ receptions and 96+ yards in three of his past four games played with only one score in that period, including two games north of 127 yards. Moore popped for a 6/131/0 line on eight targets in last week’s loss to Green Bay.
The Panthers have an offense explosive enough to hang points on anyone, but they will have a tough time doing so facing a Football Team defense surrendering the third-fewest passing yards per game (200.2) in 2020.
Football Team RB Antonio Gibson has finally resumed practicing following a two-game absence with a toe injury. With Gibson back at practice, there is a terrific chance he will play this week against the Panthers as practicing in any capacity is a trend in the right direction.
While J.D. McKissic and Peyton Barber were able to weather the storm, Gibson is a game-changer. If Gibson is good to go, he will get a Panthers defense allowing the 15th-most rushing yards per game (119.4).
Even if Gibson sits or is limited, the tandem of McKissic and Barber have done well in the interim. In each of his past two games without Gibson, Mckissic managed 86+ total yards, topping out at 107 yards and a touchdown last week. His past two weeks of total yards totals were both season highs reset in consecutive games.
For Barber, he won’t do much total yardage wise as he is a primary short-yardage back, but he did score two times in his past three games.
Moore and Robby Anderson are the only pair of wideouts to go north of 1000+ yards receiving on the same team thus far in 2020.
Panthers-Football Team Weather Report
The weather at FedEx Field calls for a clear and sunny afternoon at the time of kickoff with a 0% chance of precipitation.
The temperature is set at 36 degrees Fahrenheit with 3 mph winds blowing South-Southwest.
Panthers-Football Team Picks & Best Bet
BEST BET: Under 44.5 (+112)
This game features two teams that are setback by their QB1s. While Teddy Bridewater signed a somewhat lucrative long-term deal this offseason, he has not lived up to the hype. Sure, he has popped. However, Bridgewater is at his best with a top-end defense and a sound running game — see his successful seasons in Minnesota and his short run in New Orleans.
In fact, if the Football Team elected to pursue Bridgewater, they would likely own the NFC East, even more so, only with more wins. He is the perfect signal-caller for that team right now.
Want to know who isn’t perfect? Dwayne Haskins. Haskins is 1-4 as the Football Team’s stater this season and 3-9 overall in his two-year career. While there are no guarantees we see Haskins — Alex Smith does have a shot to play — there is a good chance the second-year signal-caller gets the starting nod, especially if Smith isn’t working with the first-team offense by Friday.
Although the Panthers have a trio of wideouts that can do a little bit of everything, they will get a stingy Football Team secondary surrendering the third-fewest passing yards per game (200.2). This is not a great matchup for Robby Anderson, D.J. Moore, and Curtis Samuel.
Washington is also giving up the 12th-fewest rushing yards per game (112.4).
It will be tough for Mike Davis as well. In a Football Team home game, I will give them the edge. I also like the under in this matchup feating a pair of underwhelming quarterbacks who are more game managers or backups than anything else.
The Under is 5-5 in the Panthers’ past 10 games, 2-2 in their past four, hitting last week.
The Under is 8-2 in the Football Team’s past 10 games, 4-1 in their past five, including three straight hits.
The Under is 5-3 in the past eight meetings between the Panthers and Football Team, going Over in their 2019 meeting.
The Under is 5-0 in Football Team’s past five home games.
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CONSIDER: Football Team (-120)
For many of the reasons I stated above in my Best Bet blurb comparing these two teams, I like the Football Team to win outright. It is a matter of defense for me.
While the Football Team is allowing the fifth-fewest points per game (21.1), the Panthers are yielding the 12th-fewest (25.4). It is a favorable matchup for the Football Team’s offense that struggles against the best but can play well against swiss cheese defensive units similar to Carolina’s.
While Christian McCaffrey is not expected to play — he is doubtful with a thigh injury — it looks like Washington could get rookie stud Antonio Gibson back in the lineup following a two-game absence with a toe injury. Gibson’s versatility and explosive skill set can change the game for the Football Team.
The Football Team is 4-1 straight up in their past five games, losing last week to Seattle.
The Panthers have lost eight of their past nine games, including a three-game losing streak.
The Football Team is 3-5 straight up in their past eight games against the Panthers, but have won each of their past two in 2018 and in 2019.
Pass: Football Team -1.5 (-110)
I would rather take the Football Team to win outright over giving thre 1.5 points to get the better odds.
The Football Team is 4-4 against the spread in their past eight meetings with the Panthers, covering in two straight.
The Panthers are 3-2 ATS in their past five games.
The Football Team is 7-3 ATS in their past 10 games, covering in five straight.
Anthony Cervino is 55-44-1 on his NFL Best Bets in 2020.
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