NFL 'TNF' Week 10: Chicago Bears vs. Carolina Panthers betting picks and preview
The NFL Week 10 slate kicks off with a "Thursday Night Football" matchup between the 2-7 Chicago Bears and the 1-7 Carolina Panthers, and we wouldn't blame you if you stayed far away from the television for this one. This game is only slightly entertaining because Chicago owns Carolina's first-round pick in 2024, so a win would improve the Bears' chances to snag the No. 1 overall pick.
No matter how unappealing the matchup, though, we can always make a primetime NFL game watchable by throwing some action on the line, so let's do just that.
Chicago Bears vs. Carolina Panthers betting odds and preview
Spread: Bears -3, Over/under: 38.5, Moneyline: Bears -155 | Panthers +130
"Thursday Night Football" has given us its fair share of stinkers over the years, but this one will be tough to beat. It'll be Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, going up against undrafted free agent Tyson Bagent.
You might think that matchup favors the Panthers, but there's a reason why the Bears are three-point favorites in the tankathon. Young has struggled to live up to the hype of a No. 1 pick, throwing for just 196.4 yards per game with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions through nine weeks. It's not all his fault, of course. Young is operating behind arguably the worst offensive line and the least dynamic group of offensive weapons in the NFL. It's no wonder why Carolina has scored 17 or fewer points five times in eight games this season.
Bagent won his first NFL start against the Las Vegas Raiders, but he's lost two straight and has thrown five interceptions over that span. If you like high-flying offenses, this isn't the game for you.
'Thursday Night Football' betting picks
Under 38.5 (-110 FanDuel)
If you've been betting only primetime unders in the NFL for the last two years, you'd be the greatest sports gambler alive. Primetime unders are 22-7 (75.9 percent) this season and 62-29 (68.1 percent) dating back to the beginning of last season, and now we get to ride the trend with two of the worst offenses in the league.
The Bears are averaging only 18.2 points per game in Bagent's four appearances, while the Panthers rank 31st in the NFL in yards per play and 30th in points per play. This isn't going to be a pretty game, but the uglier the better for this bet.
Tyson Bagent under 20.5 rushing yards (-115 DraftKings)
Bagent ran wild for 70 yards on eight carries last week against the New Orleans Saints, but we don't see him replicating that performance on "TNF" in Week 10. The Panthers have surrendered the fewest rushing yards in the NFL to opposing quarterbacks, and QBs are averaging just 2.4 yards per carry against this defense.
Bagent should have success throwing the football in this matchup, so he won't have to take off and run as much as he did against the Saints.
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