At the beginning of the season, the Rams are the top choice to win the NFC title. Head coach Sean McVay remains the hottest coaching prospect in the NFL. Quarterback Jared Goff is expected to again light up the fantasy stats. Running back Todd Gurley consistently provides NFL betting value. By contrast, the Panthers are trying to get off the mat. Carolina missed the playoffs last year. Head coach Ron Rivera is on a very warm seat. While quarterback Cam Newton faces credibility issues. A defense that slipped back to mediocrity must tighten up for a Panthers playoff push.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Carolina Panthers
| Date and Time: | Sunday, September 8, 2019, 1 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Rams vs. Panthers TV Coverage: | FOX |
| Team | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | -3 (-101) | 51 (-110) |  |
| Panthers | +3 (-119) | 51 (-110) | |
| |||
Rams vs. Panthers Overview
Last year the Panthers had an NFL betting record of 7-9 straight up and against the spread. Carolina was 8-8 on totals. NFL rankings had them 14th for scoring offense and 19th for points allowed. Los Angeles was 13-3 straight up, 7-8-1 vs. the line, and 8-8 on totals. Overall LA ranked second for scoring offense but 20th for points allowed. Of course, everyone remembers how the Rams were shut down in a 13-3 Super Bowl loss to New England. McVay has spent all offseason pining over what went wrong.
LA Not Goffing Around
Namely quarterback Jared Goff is the Rams top online betting asset. Goff posted a 101.1 rating with a 32-12 touchdown to interception ratio in 2018. He threw for 4688 yards passing and 8.4 yards per attempt. Additionally, Goff has been named to two consecutive Pro Bowls. Todd Gurley has run for 1100 yards or betting in three of his four pro seasons. Last year he posted 1251 yards, 4.9 yards per carry with 17 touchdowns. Robert Woods compiled 1219 yards receiving with six touchdowns in 2018. Meanwhile, Brandon Cooks posted 1240 receiving yards with five TD’s.
Cam the Man?
Of great concern for Carolina is the play of quarterback Cam Newton. Newton had a good rating of 94.2 last year. His passing percentage improved to 67.5 percent. However, there were too many times when he failed to finish drives. Additionally, Newton had to battle through a shoulder injury during a six-game NFL betting losing streak. It was so bad he had shoulder surgery after the season. Running back Christian McCaffrey broke out with 1098 yards and seven TD’s last year. Perhaps more impressive were his 107 receptions for 867 yards and six TD’s.
Rams vs. Panthers ATS Stats
The Rams are:
4-5 ATS as road chalks
1-5 under the total as away favorites
2-8-1 ATS vs. the Panthers
1-5 under the total against Carolina
The Panthers are:
6-2 ATS as home dogs
2-3 under the total as a home dog
6-1 ATS at home vs. Rams
2-3 under the total at home vs. Rams
Rams vs. Panthers NFL Betting Picks
In this situation, a motivated Panthers team wants to get off on the right foot. LA was exposed in the Super Bowl as beatable. As was previously noted Carolina owns his head to head series.
NFL Betting Pick: Carolina Panthers
NFL Betting Score Prediction: Panthers 23, Rams 20
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