(670 The Score) The Bears (2-2) host the Carolina Panthers (1-3) on Sunday, with kickoff set for noon CT.
Our 670 The Score pregame show with Laurence Holmes, Olin Kreutz and Patrick Mannelly will start at 9 a.m. and run until kickoff. Our postgame show will begin around 3 p.m., just after the final buzzer. You can listen by clicking here.
You can check out all of 670’s preview coverage of the Bears-Panthers matchup by clicking here. Below are game predictions from our 670 hosts, producers and writers.
David Haugh (2-2): Bears 31, Panthers 19
Andy Dalton returns, but the home team is better than when he left – and so is the quarterback. Conditions are conducive for a big day from Caleb Williams.
Matt Spiegel (3-1): Bears 27, Panthers 17
Jaylon Johnson gets a pick-six on the Red Rifle for the final margin!
Chris Tannehill (2-2): Bears 27, Panthers 16
Andy Dalton mentioned the Bears are on his list of teams that he has yet to beat over the span of his 14-year NFL career. After Sunday, nothing will have changed on that front.
Chris Emma (3-1): Bears 27, Panthers 13
The Bears will hold a winning record in October for the first time in Matt Eberflus' tenure as head coach, an indication of organizational progress stamped with a victory over the lowly Panthers.
Paul Pabst (3-1): Bears 20, Panthers 17
Oddly, the Bears are giving only 3.5 points to the Panthers. Vegas thinks this will be close, which makes me nervous. Fans think the Panthers stink – and they do stink, but Andy Dalton has made them lightly threatening. I think Bears players learned from their loss to the Colts to not underestimate anyone. The Bears will win. It won’t be pretty, but we like ugly wins. Side note, I took my family to the Bears-Rams game last Sunday – man, the tailgating scene was killer. I ate three polish sausages before 11 a.m., a veteran move.
Evan Thomas (2-2): Bears 24, Panthers 17
As shown by their win against the Rams, the Bears obviously play better at home than on the road. The energy is different with this team. Now a foe awaits in the Carolina Panthers that many have called the most dysfunctional franchise in the NFL. Former Bears quarterback Andy Dalton is under center for the Panthers and could be looking for a revenge game, but that’s not going to happen Sunday. Caleb Williams and the Bears offense shine in this one.
Alex Kuhn (2-2): Bears 34, Panthers 20
I expect points. Yep, you read that correctly. The Bears used a late first-half drive last week to get into the best rhythm we’ve seen from them this year. They did so even with Caleb Williams being constantly pressured by Rams defensive end Jared Verse, who picked on Bears left tackle Braxton Jones. I think the Bears will protect Williams much better against a Panthers pass rush that rates near the bottom of the league. Because of this, the Bears offense picks up where it left off. Andy Dalton and the Panthers offense will move the ball early, but this Bears defense has been lights out in the second half of games in producing a 40% pressure rate as opposed to 25% in the first half of games. The Bears defense gets to Dalton in the second half as Chicago pulls away.
Tyler Ferengul (2-2): Bears 27, Panthers 16
This will be the Bears’ first game of the season that isn’t decided by one score. It will be a typical game for the bend-but-don’t-break Bears defense, which may give up some passing yards to veteran Andy Dalton but will stymie the Panthers’ running game. And like they did in their win against the Rams, the Bears will do a good job of keeping their opponent from punching the ball into the end zone. As for the Bears offense, Caleb Williams will continue to make strides and the play-calling will remain balanced. The Bears punch it in for a couple of scores to earn their most comfortable win of the young season.
Robbie Triano (3-1): Bears 27, Panthers 21
It’s amazing what a win can do, right? The Bears stopped the entire city of Chicago from collectively hitting the panic button on the season with their win over the Rams. Shane Waldron must’ve been listening to The Score last week as he did everything we asked for. Now, they face a team that’s starting Andy Dalton. Yes, Dalton has led this Panthers team to an offensive resurgence. But he’s still Andy Dalton, and the team he plays for is still the Carolina Panthers. The Bears build themselves a nice winning streak after we were ready to burn it down.
Tyler Buterbaugh (2-2): Bears 24, Panthers 10
This game shouldn’t be close. Caleb Williams and the Bears probably played their best football of the season in a win against the Rams last Sunday, and we’ve seen this team progressively play better. There are also a lot of question marks with this Panthers team. The Red Rifle already had his one good game of the year, and this is a tough Bears defense. The Bears get a needed win and build up more confidence.
Sean Sears (3-1): Bears 31, Panthers 20
Carolina's defense lost leading tackler Shaq Thompson for the season last Sunday, adding to a laundry list of injured Panthers players that includes Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown. The Bears’ rushing attack should build off a strong game against Rams, and the Panthers are allowing an NFL-worst 32.3 points per game. Andy Dalton may have an efficient game, but I don't see him carving up this Bears secondary and I've been encouraged by the pass rush. The Bears handle their business and get a win at home.