The Carolina Panthers will travel to Gillette Stadium to face off against the New England Patriots on Friday as part of the Week 2 NFL preseason schedule. Matt Patricia returned to Foxborough and will call plays for the Patriots' offensive unit, though there have been reports throughout training camp about the offense struggling to move the ball. Carolina is currently in the middle of a quarterback battle between former Browns starter Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold.
Kickoff from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough Mass., is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Carolina is a 2-point favorite in the latest Panthers vs. Patriots odds at Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 40.5. Before locking in any Patriots vs. Panthers picks or 2022 NFL preseason predictions, make sure you check out what SportsLine NFL expert Larry Hartstein has to say.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. Entering the 2022 NFL season, he is 427-344 all-time on NFL side picks (plus $3,764 for $100 players), including 394-330 against the spread. Hartstein went 68-50 ATS (58 percent) and 8-3 on money-line plays last season for a profit of $1,552.
Hartstein has also nailed nine of his last 11 picks involving the Panthers, returning almost $700 for $100 players. Anybody who has been following him is way up.
Now, Hartstein has locked in on Patriots vs. Panthers from every angle and released a confident against-the-spread pick. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks and analysis. Here are several NFL odds and trends for Panthers vs. Pats:
- Panthers vs. Patriots spread: Carolina -2
- Panthers vs. Patriots over/under: 40.5 points
- Panthers vs. Patriots money line: Carolina -130, New England +105
- CAR: Over is 4-1 in Panthers' last five road games
- NE: Patriots are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games
- Panthers vs. Patriots picks: See picks here
Why the Panthers can cover
Quarterback P.J. Walker should see plenty of action in this contest. Walker is an athletic playmaker looking to flash his talent. The Temple product owns an impressive arm with the ability to make plays with his legs if needed. In the first preseason contest, Walker went 10-for-19 for 136 yards.
Running back Spencer Brown also might gain valuable reps against New England. The undrafted free agent made a positive impact in Week 1 of the preseason. Brown racked up 36 yards with a score. The UAB product has strong vision and is a downhill runner. Second-year tailback Chuba Hubbard is another downhill ball-carrier with good vision. Hubbard is able to make defenders miss and provides this offense with a different element.
Why the Patriots can cover
New England had three receivers who consistently made plays in the first preseason matchup. Second-year Kristian Wilkerson is a playmaker with long speed, physicality, and RAC ability. Wilkerson started to build a rapport with quarterback Bailey Zappe and saw a team-high 12 targets in the first preseason game. He racked up eight catches for a team-best 99 yards.
Rookie receiver Tre Nixon also played well in his debut with four catches for 81 yards on eight targets. The 2021 seventh-round pick can get open at all three levels and is looking to make a positive impression on the coaching staff. Fourth-year receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey came over to New England this offseason and is a possession receiver with solid ball skills. The Texas product came up with six catches for 63 yards and a score against the Giants.
How to make Panthers vs. Patriots picks
Now, Hartstein has broken down Patriots vs. Panthers from every angle. He's leaning Under the total, and he's found a critical x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back on Friday. He's sharing what it is, and who to back, only at SportsLine.
So who wins Patriots vs. Panthers? And what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Panthers vs. Patriots spread you should jump on Friday, all from the expert who is 9-2 on Panthers picks, and find out.
