Game: Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals

Date: September 14th at 4:05 PM ET

Where to Watch: CBS

Week 1 was certainly one to forget for the Carolina Panthers. Things looked rough on both sides of the ball, as the Panthers managed just 255 total yards and 10 points while allowing 378 yards and 26 points. Offensively, things took a while to develop, though Tetairoa McMillan showed promise in his NFL debut. The Arizona Cardinals, meanwhile, handled business against the New Orleans Saints to open their season 1-0. Arizona didn’t do anything spectacular offensively, but they were efficient, and the Kyler Murray–Marvin Harrison Jr. duo looks to be progressing. Defensively, the Cardinals’ run defense was impressive, while the secondary still has areas to improve, though rookie CB Will Johnson stood out in his debut. This Sunday’s game is crucial for Carolina to bounce back, and fortunately it appears offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu will return to the lineup to help solidify the edge.

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Betting Overview

When the betting lines first opened for this Week 2 matchup, Arizona was favored by 4.5. After last week’s results, the line has shifted further toward the Cardinals at -6.5, with the moneyline moving from -198 to between -285 and -300, while the Panthers have gone from +164 to between +230 and +250. The total has dropped from its opening of 46.5 to between 43.5 and 44, depending on the book. At this point, 56% of bets have been on the Panthers against the spread, while 61% of the money has backed Arizona. For the over/under, the public is heavily on the under, with 94% of wagers.

Position Group & Coaching Comparisons

Coaching: The coaching edge in this matchup leans slightly toward the Cardinals. Neither staff has been particularly impressive, but Arizona’s has shown a bit more consistency and carries slightly more experience. Last week’s showing by the Panthers also doesn’t help their case in the coaching department.

DLs vs. OLs: While Carolina’s offensive line is slightly better than Arizona’s—and the return of Ikem Ekwonu this week will help—the Cardinals’ interior defensive line tilts this battle in their favor. Both teams are fairly even in the edge rush department.

QBs: The quarterback battle clearly favors Kyler Murray. He played well last week despite being under the weather, while Bryce Young struggled. Murray also brings significantly more experience than Young at this stage.

RBs & TEs vs. LBs: The Cardinals take the edge here thanks to a deeper running back room and a much stronger tight end. The off-ball linebackers for both teams leave something to be desired, making that aspect more of a toss-up.

WRs vs. Secondaries: At receiver, the Panthers hold a slight advantage, though Marvin Harrison Jr.’s performance last week makes the Cardinals’ case stronger. Carolina has a bit more strength at cornerback, but Arizona has the edge at safety, giving the overall nod in this category to the Cardinals.

Betting Trends from 2024

The ATS trends from last season don’t look great for the Panthers. On the road, they went 3-5-0, all of which came as underdogs. The over, however, was a frequent result in those games, cashing in 6 of 8 road contests.

Arizona was stronger as a home team ATS, covering in 6 of their 9 home games, though they weren’t quite as sharp as home favorites, covering in just 3 of 5. The over finished slightly above .500 in their home games, hitting in 5 of 9, but was especially strong when the Cardinals were home favorites, cashing in 4 of those 5 contests.

Final Thoughts

This game is massive for both teams—for the Panthers to get things turned around, and for the Cardinals to gain an early edge in the NFC West race. Carolina will need to establish a more dynamic passing attack, which likely starts with getting the run game going. If Chuba Hubbard can find success on the ground, it will open up more options through the air. On the other side, I expect the Cardinals to expand their passing game even further after easing into things in Week 1.