49ers Panthers Betting – Niners Shut Down Anemic Panthers
Online betting players better check out the posted total for Sunday’s game between San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers, as these are two of the worst offensive teams in the league, and even though the saying goes, “defense wins championships”, you have to be able to score a little bit. That’s why the edge goes to San Francisco, because the Panthers are young offensively, and their one star on that side of the ball may be hurt.
- What: NFL betting
- When: Sunday, October 24th, 1:00 PM ET
- Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
- Pick: San Francisco 49ers
What’s On The Line
The 49ers (1-5) finally got in the win column with a 17-9 victory at home over the Oakland Raiders, but you have to wonder if coach Mike Singletary’s job is legitimately in danger after reports that he has lost the locker room. The Panthers (0-5) are coming off a much-needed bye week as they try to get something going, particularly on offense. The 49ers have more at stake though, as the Panthers were never supposed to challenge in the NFC South; San Francisco was picked to win the NFC West.
Offensive Matchups: 49ers Panthers Betting
Two things had to happen for the 49ers to win on Sunday: Frank Gore had to have a big game, and Alex Smith had to avoid mistakes. Gore ran for 149 yards, while Smith passed for 196 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no picks. The fans are still calling for Smith’s head, but when your backup is David Carr, how much worse could Smith really be? This is a performance for the 49ers to build on, until they get some confidence in Smith throwing the ball downfield. For now, Gore is still the star of the offense.
Quite simply, the Panthers’ offense is laughably bad. They’re last in the NFL, we don’t know whether Matt Moore or rookie Jimmy Clausen will be under center (although it’ll likely be Clausen again), and receiver Steve Smith has been bothered by his ankle, as well as trade rumors. It’s to the point that the backfield duo of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams don’t even matter, because teams just stack the line and force the horrible aerial attack to beat them, which hasn’t worked out for Carolina yet.
Betting Edge: 49ers
Defensive Matchups: 49ers Panthers Betting
NFL betting players are figuring the San Francisco defense will get in gear soon, and to be fair, they’re 10th in the league. But the 49ers haven’t dominated on this side of the ball as many thought they would, and it is because of a rushing defense that is 20th in the NFL. They did have a good game against the Raiders, though, with two turnovers and 179 yards allowed. A game against another offensively-challenged team is right up their alley.
The Panthers are 12th in the league defensively, but they’re often put in bad positions by the offense. In three of their five losses, Carolina has given up 20 points or less, but when your offense can’t score, it doesn’t make a difference. Jon Beason was moved over to the weak side this season and hasn’t been the force of previous years, and as a result, the Panthers are 26th in the league against the run.
Betting Edge: Draw
Notable Injuries: 49ers Panthers Betting
Keep checking the injury reports, but the 49ers seem to have come out of the Oakland game with no major injuries.
The Panthers are keeping a close eye on Smith (ankle) and right tackle Jeff Otah (knee), and it’s unlikely either will play against the 49ers.
Betting Edge: 49ers
Outlook and Pick: 49ers Panthers Betting
The 49ers will probably be the NFL betting favorites on the road against the Panthers, and San Francisco is 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS in five meetings with Carolina since 2000. They’re 0-3 ATS in Carolina, so pay attention to the spread. We don’t see the Panthers scoring enough to win the game, especially without Smith, but the defense may be able to hold a San Francisco offense that hasn’t been that much better. Take the 49ers to win straight up, but beware of a big sports betting spread to suck you in.
Stan’s Pick: San Francisco 49ers
