Panthers vs Patriots NFL Pick: Rebuilding 1-2 Teams With Young QBs Meet (Sep 28)

• In NFL Week 4 Panthers-Patriots, two 1-2 teams in the middle of rebuilds meet in New England
• Carolina quieted the noise of their slow start with a Week 3 destruction of the Falcons, 30-0
• New England had a hard-fought battle with the Steelers in Week 3, eventually falling 21-14 on a late Aaron Rodgers TD pass
• The teams have not met since 2021, a Patriots’ 24-6 win
• These organizations clashed in Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, won by the Patriots 32-29

The Panthers’ Last 6 Quarters Might Have Turned Their Season Around

At halftime of the Panthers’ loss to the Cardinals, it was a matter of when, not if, owner David Tepper would explode and perhaps fire head coach Dave Canales, among others.

However, after falling behind 27-3 with just over 24 minutes remaining in the game, Carolina fought back, got to within 27-22 with the ball in Arizona territory before QB Bryce Young was sacked on fourth down.

It was a respite from criticism and the looming threat of radical change, even though they lost.

In Week 3 against the Falcons, it was a start-to-finish destruction.

Young was efficient, completing 16 of 24 passes for 121 yards. He ran for a TD. Running back Chuba Hubbard ran for 73 yards on 17 carries. Rico Dowdle added 30 on 10 carries and a TD rush.

On defense, the Panthers held Falcons QB Michael Penix to 172 yards on an 18 for 36 performance and picked him off twice. Penix was pulled for Kirk Cousins. Bijan Robinson ran for 72 yards on 13 carries.

On defense, the Panthers have struggled against the run, 25th in the league. They have been solid against the pass. Their offense has looked better after a woeful first six quarters of the season.

Turnovers Doomed the Pats Against the Steelers

It’s borderline miraculous that the Patriots kept the score against the Steelers as close as they did, having turned the ball over five times. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson lost two fumbles.

QB Drake Maye completed 28 of 37 passes for 2 TDs and 1 pick. He also lost a fumble. Still, the Patriots’ defense kept the team in the game. Robert Spillane picked off Aaron Rodgers and was in on 15 tackles, including 10 solos.

Rodgers only accrued 139 yards through the air. Jaylen Warren ran for 47 yards on 18 carries.

To show just how much of a work in progress the Patriots are, they were driving late in the game and well into Steelers’ territory. Maye threw a pass to Demario Douglas, who may have had the first down, but ran backwards short of the marker and was tackled to end the game.

These are issues that head coach Mike Vrabel will address. It should be noted that the same issues that afflicted the Patriots in 2024 under Jerod Mayo are impacting them under Vrabel. Mayo was, in part, fired for it.

The Pats are vulnerable to the pass, 29th in the league. However, they are 2nd in the NFL against the rush. Maye is still learning and needs to concentrate on ball security, but is thisclose to becoming a star. If Vrabel follows the Bill Belichick model, Stevenson will not get the ball until he stops fumbling, and eventually, his roster spot will be in jeopardy.

Christian Gonzalez’s hamstring remains an issue.

Panthers vs Patriots Pick

For NFL Week 4 Panthers-Patriots, if Carolina is going to leap into respectability and more, they need to build on their positives. The spirited comeback against the Cardinals, followed by massacring the Falcons, is a great sign…only if they keep it up.

The Patriots were careless with the ball against Pittsburgh, and that can carry over if they’re thinking about it en masse. Teams can move the ball through the air against the Patriots, so expect Young to come out firing.

Both teams are essentially in the same position as they are trying to get into contention. The Panthers could win this game outright, but they will certainly cover the spread on the road.