NFL Betting – Carolina Panthers 2020 Win Total

• The Panthers are favorites to win OVER 5.5 regular season games

• Teddy Bridgewater was handed the task of leading the offense and replacing Cam Newton

• Christian McCaffrey is considered the game’s best all-around player

• Team lost stud linebacker Luke Kuechly

• While a number of faces have changed it’s hard to envision the Panthers being much better than they were in 2019

• Bookmaker is offering a generous welcome bonus with a maximum of $1000

New Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is used to rebuilds. And he’s also good at it. He resurrected a moribund Temple program and delivered Baylor from the throes of a scandal-ridden slide to a major bowl game in just three years. His next challenge is a bit different. Actually, it’s a lot different. Rhule’s only NFL experience was for one season as an assistant offensive line coach. The Panthers will have a different look on the sidelines and on the field in 2020, mainly at quarterback with former MVP and fan-favorite Cam Newton no longer around. This is a team in transition and it won’t be very good. Playing in one of the toughest divisions in football isn’t going to help their win total either.

Carolina Panthers Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu

Panthers Over 5.5 Wins -124
Panthers Under 5.5 Wins +103

2020 Carolina Panthers Offense Preview

For years Newton was the face of the franchise and the conductor of one of the top offenses in the league. Injuries finally took their toll with the former No. 1 overall pick playing only two games last year and the results were not good. With Kyle Allen starting 12 games the Panthers were below average on this side of the football. They ranked 19th in total offense and 20th in scoring. Allen wasn’t the answer and was jettisoned just like Cam.

Teddy Bridgewater was handed the task of leading the offense and we don’t really know what to expect. He had two strong seasons in Minnesota when he first entered the league, taking the Vikings to the playoffs in 2015. A gruesome leg injury prior to the start of 2016 cost him the entire year and he’s played just 15 games with six starts over the past three seasons. He went without a loss in five starts for the Saints last year completing 68 percent of his passes, so I guess he still has some game.

There are pieces on offense with Christian McCaffrey the game’s best all-around player. Ed’s boy was unstoppable last year amassing a league-high 2,392 yards from scrimmage and 19 total touchdowns. He ran for nearly 1,400 yards with an additional 1,005 yards on 116 catches. DJ Moore, Robby Anderson and Curtis Samuel form a solid trio of receivers, but it’s up to Bridgewater to get them the ball.

2020 Carolina Panthers Defense Preview

The offense will have to be a whole lot better than it was last year because defensively the Panthers will have problems stopping teams. Not only did they lose their top offensive player, stud linebacker Luke Kuechly, the anchor of the defense, retired leaving a gaping hole in the middle.

The draft was an indication that the club has some worries. All seven picks were spent on defenders. It makes sense since Rhule’s success at the college level was grounded on defense. His 2019 Baylor squad surrendered less than 20 points per game, quite an accomplishment in the Big 12. Carolina was 29th against the run last year and used its first two picks on tackle Derrick Brown and edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos to bolster the line.

While a number of faces have changed it’s hard to envision the Panthers being much better than they were in 2019. They were better statistically against the pass, but that’s to be expected when teams were able to run the ball so easily, and only one team allowed more points than Carolina’s 29.4 per game. The retirement of Kuechly, who was the heart and soul of the group, is likely to impact the club more than Newton’s departure.

2020 Carolina Panthers Schedule Analysis

There is reason for optimism with the schedule. The first five games are against teams that finished 2019 with a losing record. One of those teams is NFC South foe Tampa Bay, who the Panthers play in Week 2. And we know what they did during the offseason. Another division rival Atlanta is tossed in there and the Falcons are expected to be much better. While the first quarter of the campaign looks promising it really isn’t.

For a defense that struggled last season and probably won’t be a whole lot better, the Panthers face some of the top QBs in the NFL. Not only do they get Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Tom Brady twice, they also have matchups with Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and KC’s Patrick Mahomes. They won’t face Newton since the Pats aren’t on the schedule, but the Panthers do face former coach Ron Rivera in a Week 16 game at Washington.

Bet Carolina Panthers Win Total at BookMaker.eu

The Panthers will have a different look but I can’t see them being better than the 5-11 club from last year. Holes on defense will lead to some high scoring affairs and Bridgewater isn’t going to match those points. I can see five wins as a ceiling and that’s if a lot of things go right.

NFL Odds: Carolina Panthers Under 5.5 Wins

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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com