Bears vs. Panthers Prediction: DJ Moore revenge game |
Throughout an NFL season, there are certain portions of the schedule that you can point to and say this is the reason why you made or missed the playoffs. The Bears are currently in one of those stretches, as they should be favored in their next four to five games.
That all started last week against the Rams, which the Bears did find a way to win, and that will continue this week against the Carolina Panthers as the Bears look to move back above .500. Carolina is arguably one of the worst, if not the worst, teams in the NFL. Still, they have been showing signs of life since making a move to Andy Dalton at quarterback. Just like the Raiders and the Bengals, this team has looked completely different the past two weeks, making the Panthers look like a completely different team. Knowing that and how high the Bears' expectations are this season, this has the makings of being one of those famous trap games where all signs point to a Bears win only to result in a loss. Chicago has been on the winning side of several of those games in the past, but they haven't been on the wrong side of those games all that often. They must stay focused and continue building off each win, as Chicago can rack up a few wins in the next few weeks.
The DJ Moore revenge game
Anytime a player is traded from one organization to another, especially when the team drafted you, there is always a little extra on your mind the next time you play them. Moore had a chance to bring that extra last season, and for the most part, he did, but he still didn't play at the level he expected to.
This season, Moore hopes to show the Panthers once and for all that they made a mistake trading him to the Bears. He was the Panthers' go-to option for three seasons and emerged as a legitimate 1,000-yard option. Since his departure, Moore went on to have a career year with Chicago in 2023 while the Panthers have been searching for a consistent offensive option.
Chicago clearly won this trade at this point, especially considering what came with it. If you have Moore on your fantasy team, make sure you start him this week, as he could be in line for a massive game.
Don't overlook Andy Dalton
While a lot of the attention will be put on Moore and what he will do to the Panthers' defense, you could make the case that this is sort of a revenge game for Dalton as well, as he spent some time in Chicago a few seasons ago.
Granted, he was only on the Bears roster for one season and played in just a handful of games. However, it is still one of his former teams, and he is looking to show them that they should've stuck with him a bit longer than they did.
He may not be at the level he was once, but Dalton is still a veteran quarterback who knows how to win games. Look at what he has done with this Panthers offense in two weeks. Using the same players that Bryce Young had, Dalton has had this offense playing at another level, bringing a lot of questions to Young that the Panthers don't want to answer.
Time to turn Montez Sweat loose
If you thought the Chicago Bears' offensive line was bad, you haven't seen anything yet, as the Panthers' offensive line is dismal. There are many reasons why the Panthers have been so bad the past few seasons, and not having an offensive line is one of them.
Things have gotten so bad for the Panthers' offensive line that it often looks like the quarterback is under pressure from the moment he takes the snap. That plays into the Bears' hands because of how aggressive their defense is, and Montez Sweat could be in line for a big game.
After leading both Washington and Chicago in sacks last season, Sweat's production is down a bit to start 2024, but a lot of that falls on the overall depth of the Bears' defense this season. If there was ever a time to have a get-right game to get back on track, this would be the one, as Sweat is hungrier than ever to have a big game.
Prediction: Bears win 27-13
It was an ugly win against the Rams in week four, but it was a win nonetheless, which is all you can ask for in the NFL. This week, the Bears should make it two in a row. They have the better quarterback, the better defense, and, from all accounts, the better team. Look for the Bears to take care of business 27-13 and improve to 3-2.
