How this week’s injury report affects our picks
The Carolina Panthers have exited their bye week continuing a trend that started just before their winning streak: they are getting healthier. Could this be a coincidence or is it a superstitious guarantee that Brian is right and the Panthers are going to beat the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend?
Coincidence. To be clear, it is definitely more coincidence than guarantee. Yes, the Panthers should be better on the field the healthier their players are. No, simply having better players is available does not mean that your team is better than your opponent or that your team will beat an opponent.
Here’s how this week’s injury report is going to affect our odds:
Reinforcements
Jonathon Brooks (knee) and Adam Thielen (hamstring) may make an appearance in Sunday’s game, giving point guard Bryce Young a few more options to attack a stout Kansas City defense. Brooks has been definitively stated as being available, whereas Thielen will be more of a game time decision.
Brooks has yet to appear in a game since being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft and has fans hyped with anticipation over what the dynamic running back could bring to the table. His role as a change of pace back is all but guaranteed this weekend as Miles Sanders looks to miss some time with his own ankle injury.
Thielen, Young’s favorite target, has not played since pulling his hamstring laying out for a touchdown in the Panthers first win of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. Nevermind that pass was from Andy Dalton, Thielen being back should be nothing but a boon for Young’s stat line.
The offensive line
Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (ankle) is finally practicing on a limited basis. Brady Christensen has held up admirably in his stead, but would figure to slide back over to center if Ickey returns this week. This would give Brooks quite the soft landing if the Panthers could field their five best run blocking offensive linemen this weekend.
The Chiefs
The only team healthier than the Panthers on Sunday’s field will be the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s unfortunate news because there are only two teams playing in this game. The Panthers are getting to test their might against the full strength of the reigning Super Bowl champions.
The bottom line
While there is plenty of good news for the Panthers, none of it is so good that fans should be rushing to bet on the Panthers on Sunday. The Panthers pass rush is still limited as best, the Kansas City run defense is still formidable, and Young is still highly unreliable.
Take the information and do with it as you will, and remember to bet the under on total sacks if anybody is daft enough to offer odds on that.
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