Carolina Panthers vs. Detroit Lions Predictions & NFL Picks for 10/08
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Lions vs. Panthers Odds, Predictions & Football Picks:
- ⭐ ATS Pick: Lions -10 (-110) at BetMGM
- ⭐ ML Pick: Lions (-480) at Caesars
- ⭐ Totals Pick: Under 44.5 (-105) at FanDuel
- ⭐ Player Prop: Adam Thielen Under 51.5 Receiving Yards (-120) at DraftKings
Week 5 of the NFL season includes a game where the Detroit Lions host the Carolina Panthers at 1:00 p.m. ET.
The Lions are coming off a massive 34-20 road win on Thursday Night Football in Week 4, meaning they’ve had a few extra days of rest. Meanwhile, the Panthers fell to 0-4 and are just one of two remaining winless teams. They lost to the Minnesota Vikings 21-13. The Lions only loss this season came in overtime against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Panthers are 0-3-1 and the Lions 3-1 ATS—this will certainly factor into our NFL picks throughout. Whether he suits up or not or is limited, Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is eligible to play in this game.
While rookie quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson enjoy some early career success, only the opposite can be said for Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick from this past draft.
To find the best bets for this Lions vs. Panthers prediction, continue reading below as we explore today’s best online betting sites, including BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel, and DraftKings.
Lions vs. Panthers Against The Spread Pick
We have the point spread leading off our NFL Week 5 predictions
for this matchup. The Lions are a massive 10-point favorite here.
These NFL odds speak to how inept the Panthers offense has been this season.
The Lions average nearly 250 passing yards from quarterback Jared Goff and score 26.5 points per game. Defensively, they’ve been excellent against the run, allowing just 60.8 rushing yards per game. The Panthers have running back Miles Sanders, who they’d like to get going, but it's proved difficult due to how poorly Young has played.
Young is completing 65% of his passes for 501 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions through three games. He also has six turnover-worthy plays. He’s gone over 200 passing yards once, in Week 3, passing for 202 against the Vikings. He’s averaging just 4.9 yards per attempt and has an average depth of target of just 6.2 yards.
This offense is not moving, and the Lions rush defense will prevent Sanders from doing anything.
It’s difficult to imagine this Panther offense doing much here, especially with Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson coming after Young against Panthers right tackle Taylor Moton.
⭐ Best ATS Pick: Lions -10 (-110) at BetMGM
Lions vs. Panthers Moneyline Best Bet
Despite NFL odds of -480, it’s difficult to even offer up the Panthers moneyline, which is around +360, as a value play. The Panthers have edge rusher Brian Burns and defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who are valuable pieces, but the Lions offensive line is stacked on that side with Penei Sewell and Halapoulivaati Vaitai.
There’s no conceivable way the Panthers will win this game. Therefore, we cannot recommend them in our Lions vs. Panthers predictions.
⭐ Best ML Pick: Lions (-480) at Caesars
Lions vs. Panthers Over/Under Best Bet
The Panthers allow 25.5 points per game, and while the Lions are just over 20, it’s difficult to project the Panthers surpassing that mark.
So far this season, the Panthers top target has been wide receiver Adam Thielen.
Working primarily out of the slot, Thielen has 27 receptions for 287 yards and two touchdowns in four games. He’s been excellent for this poor Panthers team, but the problem is that he’ll match up with a former teammate of Young’s in slot cornerback Brian Branch. Branch has been playing like a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate with three pass breakups, one interception, and allowing just 7.6 yards per reception as a slot cornerback.
Thielen, Young’s go-to target, will have a tough task here. Other than that, it’s difficult to imagine how the Panthers move the ball productively here, given Young’s lack of being a downfield passing threat.
The Lions should score into the 20s here, but the Panthers won’t be able to pick up their end of the bargain for this total to go over 44.5.
Take the under for the third of our NFL picks in this game.
⭐ Best O/U Bet: Under 44.5 (-115) at FanDuel
⭐ CLICK HERE to bet on the Lions vs. Panthers game! ⭐
Lions vs. Panthers Top Player Props
We mentioned him above, and we’re sticking with Thielen. His receiving yardage line here is at 51.5.
This season, he’s averaging just under seven receptions per game for about 72 yards. Meanwhile, Branch has allowed 14 receptions on 21 targets for just 106 yards. No receiver has more than 40 yards in a game on him.
Young’s average depth of target demonstrates he’ll look for receivers like Thielen who are closing to the line of scrimmage. Still, Branch should be able to keep his totals down even if he manages to catch five or more passes.
This feels like a five catches-for-45-yards type of game for Thielen. With NFL odds of -120, we’ll take this bet for our final pick in our Lions vs. Panthers predictions.
⭐ Top NFL Player Prop: Adam Thielen Under 51.5 Receiving Yards (-120) at DraftKings
As we look forward to the thrilling 2023 NFL season, there's another exciting development on the horizon for sports betting enthusiasts. As of September 28, Kentucky has officially launched online sports betting, paving the way for the emergence of new Kentucky betting apps. This opens up a new realm of opportunities for fans and bettors alike. Stay tuned for more updates on this front.
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