Carolina Panthers vs Chicago Bears early odds and prediction for Week 5

There are no moral victories in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers may have been more competitive in their Week 4 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, but it still ended in a loss. That’s all anyone will remember when it’s all said and done.

Dave Canales doesn’t have time to wallow. He needs to stay positive and keep his team motivated as another season risks becoming meaningless. Continue to heed his lessons and hope the improvements from the last two weeks compound before another tough test in Week 5 with the Chicago Bears.

The fans of both teams have been waiting for this game. There’s a new rivalry between them – particularly on social media – that stems from the bombshell trade that gave the Panthers the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for quarterback Bryce Young.

The Bears are pretty happy with this transaction right now. Young sits on the bench. Chicago has Caleb Williams, wide receiver DJ Moore, several other pieces and Carolina’s second-round pick in 2025. It remains to be seen what the Alabama product’s future holds, but he won’t have a chance to influence the proceedings in this case unless Andy Dalton gets injured.

Canales cannot afford for his team to start the season 1-4. They need to maintain some semblance of hope in the fan base. Another away win in one of the league’s more intimidating atmospheres would be a good start.

According to the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, the Panthers are a 3.5-point favorite over the Bears in Week 5.

Anyone brave enough to bet Carolina on the money line can currently get odds of +164 (bet $100 to win $164). Chicago is favored to pick up its second straight win in front of an expectant fan base at -196 (Bet $196 to win $100).

FanDuel Sportsbook expects a reasonably entertaining contest between the two clubs, with the over/under ratio sitting at 42.5 points.

The game odds are updated regularly and are subject to change.

If you could have picked one game aside from the divisional rivalries that fans would win in 2024, this would be the contest. Thanks to recent events, there is so much pride at stake between the Panthers and Bears. The team’s long-suffering fan base has been ridiculed by those who avidly follow the NFC North team for more than a year. A win would provide some comfort in the turmoil.

It won’t be a fight between Young and Williams, which is unfortunate. It is still unclear whether history will repeat itself and Chicago will take the wrong quarterback at No. 1 overall. But the Heisman Trophy winner from USC can make a statement by finally putting together a real performance after a rocky start.

The Panthers will be without their starting linebacker duo at Soldier Field. Shaq Thompson is out this season with a tone that also misses Achilles and Josey Jewell in Week 5. Ejiro Evero will have to roll with the punches and rely on others like rookie Trevin Wallace to pick up the slack.

This will be another difficult test in a hostile environment. But make no mistake, the Panthers don’t stand a chance.

The bears are vulnerable. They may have more firepower than Carolina, but something is missing from a chemistry perspective. If Canales can find a way to silence the crowd early, this could be the statement win he is aiming for.

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