Two teams looking to defend their respective division titles in 2026 meet at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday as Carolina Panthers entertain Chicago Bears.
In his first season in charge of the Bears, coach Ben Johnson led his team to an 11-6 record, but they fell short in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, losing 17-20 to Los Angeles Rams.
Carolina topped the NFC South standings, but with an 8-9 record, and it was the Rams that dumped them out of the playoffs at the first hurdle.
Both teams have been heavily hampered by injuries in the build-up, and both coaches still have late participation decisions to make.
Bears vs. Panthers betting tips and predictions
Over 47.5 points (-105)
The Bears secondary has had to nurse a few injuries in recent weeks and, while defensive back Xavier Woods is the only player listed as questionable on that side of the ball, Chicago have a lot to prove defensively in 2026.
They won seven games last season with two minutes or fewer left on the clock, while they only registered 35 sacks last season, which was tied for 22nd in the NFL.
Chicago allowed 361.8 yards per game defensively in 2025, the fourth-worst in the NFL, while Carolina were not exactly efficient on defense.
Their 8-9 record suggests they have a lot of work to do on that side of the ball, and they conceded 327 yards per game defensively.
The Bears will look to play with aggression on offence and it would not be a surprise to see Carolina get some joy of their own against a Chicago team that looked wide open at times in 2025.
Chicago Bears -3.0 (-115)
The Bears finished 2025 with an 11-6 record and they scored 441 points in 2025.
Quarterback Caleb Williams is dangerous on the ground and can push his team downfield in an instant and in a straight shootout, Chicago simply have too much class.
Carolina only scored 311 points in 17 regular season games and the Carolina rushing attack may not be firing on all cylinders just yet.
Chuba Hubbard has not been fully healthy in the autumn, and backup Jonathon Brooks has suffered season-ending injuries in two successive seasons.
That puts a lot of pressure on the Panthers' pass catchers and in a game that should be decided by small margins, Chicago can cover the spread due to their ruthless offense.
Colston Loveland over 53.5 receiving yards (-115)
Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze has been listed as questionable ahead of kick-off, which could mean he is not as active as he would like if he is declared fit.
Williams may, therefore, lean on tight end Colston Loveland, who finished last season with 58 catches for 713 yards.
He finished the season with four catches or more in six of his last seven games and he finished with 50 yards or more in five of those outings.
Williams knows he can rely on Loveland and that should be reflected in how many times he turns to him for an easy catch in Sunday's encounter.
Loveland's six touchdowns last year also make him a prime target in the red zone and, with Odunze not at his very best, it makes sense for Williams to take any easy yards he can by bringing his tight end into the game.
Read more betting picks and predictions for the NFL on site
Bears vs. Panthers odds
Chicago Bears | -170 |
Carolina Panthers | +145 |
Spread | CHI Bears -3.0 |
Total | O/U 47.5 |
Bears vs. Panthers player props
Anytime touchdown
D'Andre Swift (Chicago Bears) | -150 |
Chuba Hubbard (Carolina Panthers) | +125 |
Colston Loveland (Chicago Bears) | +155 |
Jonathon Brooks (Carolina Panthers) | +170 |
Tetairoa McMillan (Carolina Panthers) | +180 |
Rome Odunze (Chicago Bears) | +180 |
Read the latest NFL news on site
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
