Carolina Panthers vs New England Patriots Betting Pick & Prediction 8/8/24
The Patriots are favored on the money line at -204 as they host the Panthers in their first pre-season game of the season on Thursday, August 8th at 7:00 ET. The Panthers’ money line odds are +167, and the Patriots are -4 point favorites. The over/under line is set at 34.5 points for this non-conference matchup, which is being televised on NFLN.
CAROLINA PANTHERS VS NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Carolina Panthers +4
This game will be played at Gillette Stadium at 7:00 ET on Thursday, August 8th.
WHY BET THE CAROLINA PANTHERS:
- We have the Panthers winning this one by a score of 21 to 15
- Not only do we have the Panthers winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +4
- Look for this game to go over the line of 34.5 points
Will The Panthers Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
Winless in the pre-season, the Panthers went 0-3, including a 27-0 loss to the Jets in the opener. They dropped each of their three pre-season games last year, going 0-2 as the favorite and 0-1 as the underdog. Carolina lost 21-19 to the Giants in week two and finished the pre-season with a 26-17 loss to the Lions.
Struggling to move the ball, the Panthers finished last pre-season as one of the worst offenses in the league, averaging only 12 points per game, which was 22nd in the NFL. They were 24th in yards per play, averaging just 247 yards per game (29th). Carolina’s rushing game was also ineffective, ranking 24th in rushing yards and 27th in passing yards.
Carolina’s defense gave up 24.7 points per game last pre-season, ranking 21st in the NFL. They allowed 312.7 yards per game, which was 29th in the league. The Panthers were better against the run, giving up 94.7 rushing yards per game, the 10th best figure in the pre-season, and 218 passing yards per game (19th).
Are The Patriots Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
On the road, the Patriots went 1-1 last pre-season, finishing with an overall record of 1-2. They dropped their first game 20-9 to the Texans in week one. New England then beat the Packers 21-17 in week two but ended the pre-season with a 23-7 loss to the Titans.
Struggling to move the ball, the Patriots were dead last in passing yards (86.3) and yards per game (162.7) in the pre-season last year. They averaged just 12.3 points per game, ranking 21st, and were 27th in yards per play. Their running game wasn’t much better, with 76.3 rushing yards per game and 3.6 rushing yards per attempt.
Despite finishing 12th in points allowed (20 per game), the Patriots’ defense gave up the most yards per game in the pre-season last year. They allowed 324.3 yards per game, which was the worst figure in the NFL. Opposing offenses had success moving the ball through the air, as New England gave up 200.7 passing yards per game. Against the run, they allowed 123.7 rushing yards per game, ranking 20th in the league.