2019 Carolina Panthers Odds to win the Super Bowl with Expert Betting Predictions

It has been a rollercoaster ride for the Panthers since they made the Super Bowl in 2015. The years of 2016 and 2018 were disappointing, while 2017 was a promising 11-5 season. They have struggled to maintain any momentum, and Cam Newton has really struggled to stay healthy. This is a big year both for the team and the quarterback. Believing in their core for the most part, they didn't make dramatic changes this offseason. But if it is another disappointing regular season then you can be sure that it will be a far more dramatic offseason. Can the team avoid that happening?

Carolina Panthers Coaching

Ron Rivera is back for his ninth season at the helm of the Panthers, which is a little remarkable if you consider that he has had only three winning seasons. Not only is he back, but both of his coordinators are back for another year, too, and a majority of the position coaches have also returned. If this year looks like last year, then Rivera could easily not even make the end of the season. The coordinators are not the same ones that won 11 games two years ago, so they don't have a lot of good will to draw on in the face of issues.

Carolina Panthers Quarterback Situation

Newton is back for another year, with the potential for an improved season if he can stay healthy. I am cautiously optimistic. Also in the QB room are two guys who each started a game last year when Newton was injured - Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinicke. One of the two is likely to see their time with the Panthers end, though, because the team also drafted Will Grier from West Virginia in the third round as a potential QB of the future.

How The Carolina Panthers Improved

It remains to be seen if the offensive line is improved from last year, but it has certainly changed - and it definitely needs to be better than it was. Longtime leader Ryan Kalil is gone at center, and Matt Paradis has been brought in from Denver to replace him. He's a capable guy. But he missed the last half of last season due to injury, so there is some uncertainty around him. Second-round pick Greg Little was a potential steal of an OT, and he will have to be because he could very well be called upon to play left tackle early on. On paper they were probably a little better last year, but it wasn't working as well as it should, so this unit has the potential to be at least a little improved. A clearer improvement was Brian Burns, the linebacker from Florida State picked 16th overall. His upside is significant.

How The Carolina Panthers Got Worse

The team is making a shift from a 4-3 front to a 3-4 as they attempt to improve a front that was almost completely incapable of applying pressure to opposing quarterbacks. But aside from the strong pick of Burns, it isn't entirely clear that they did enough to make significant improvements.

Carolina Panthers Schedule Analysis

They open against the Rams in a game that promises to be very tough, and a closing month of at Atlanta, Seattle, at Indianapolis and at home against New Orleans is really brutal. A stretch starting in Week 10 of at Green Bay, Atlanta and at New Orleans is really challenging as well. That is fully half of the season that are really tough games, and that's not ideal for a team in a vulnerable situation like this one is.

2019-20 Carolina Panthers Betting Odds and Trends

At +4000 to win the Super Bowl, they are behind 18 other teams. They are the 11th choice to win the NFC at +2500. They are the third choice to win the NFC South, though at +450 they are far behind the favored Saints, who are at -160. The season win total is set at 8, with the "over" strongly favored at -135. The Panthers are at +210 to make the playoffs and -250 to miss them. The Panthers are at +5000 to have the best record in the league and +1200 to have the worst. Newton is in a group of players tied as the eighth choice to be the MVP at +2500 and the fourth choice to be comeback player of the year at +1400. Burns is at +1600 to be defensive rookie of the year. Rivera is the sixth choice to be the first coach fired at +1400, and he's +3300 to be named coach of the year. Newton is at +7500 to lead the league in passing yards and +20000 to lead in touchdowns. He's far more likely to lead the league in interceptions, though - he's the +1200 sixth choice there. Christian McCaffrey is at +1600 to lead the league in rushing yards but the second choice to lead in yards from scrimmage at +600, trailing only Saquon Barkley.

2019-20 Carolina Panthers Predictions and NFL Picks

There are things I like about this team. But given some of the questions around them, an offseason that stuck a little more to the status quo than is ideal, and the ongoing concerns about Newton's shoulder, it is tough to be hugely optimistic. It feels like the majority of bets have been on the wrong side of that win total, as seven wins feels like a very achievable number here. I like the under quite a bit.

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