The winless Cincinnati Bengals (0-3) have absolutely zero margin for error heading into Week 4, as their disastrous start to the 2024-25 regular season has them playing must win games in September. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers (1-2) looked like a different team in Week 3 after benching Bryce Young in favor of Andy Dalton as they crushed the Las Vegas Raiders for their first win of the year. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM EST on September 29th at Bank of America Stadium.
Time is rapidly running out for the Bengals in the tough AFC North Division after dropping three straight games by six points or less. Desperation has already kicked in, so look for them to pull out all the stops on the road in a matchup against their former starting quarterback. On the other side, Carolina wants to establish immediate consistency at home after such a remarkable turnaround last Sunday on the road.
Both of these teams seem to have finally ironed out some issues offensively, as Cincinnati scored 30+ points for the first time all season in Week 3 while the Panthers put up 35+ points after being held to just ten points or less in back to back games. Oddsmakers expect that trend to continue, as the total for this game is currently approaching 50 points.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Bengals listed as 5.5-point road favorites. The spread has narrowed by a full point after early betting, as Cincinnati is currently available at -4.5 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 48.5 points. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised on FOX. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Cincinnati Bengals Early Season Woes Continue
Despite an impressive performance offensively on Monday Night Football, Cincinnati had no answer for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the rest of the Commanders offense in a stunning 38-33 Week 3 loss at home. The Bengals fell behind 21-13 in the first half and never recovered, surrendering two more touchdowns over the final two quarters.
Joe Burrow certainly wasn’t to blame for the defeat, throwing for 324 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Star wideout Ja’Marr Chase was basically unstoppable, racking up six catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. As a whole, the offense generated well over 400 total yards despite the loss.
The Bengals defense was an absolute disaster in Week 3, getting torched for five total touchdowns. They were especially poor at defending against the run, as Washington scored three separate rushing touchdowns on the ground.
Carolina Panthers Victorious In Dalton’s First Start
After scoring just 13 total points en route to an embarrassing 0-2 start, Carolina’s decision to bench sophomore quarterback Bryce Young paid immediate dividends in Week 3, as the Panthers shocked Las Vegas on the road in a 36-point offensive outburst to move to 1-2 on the season overall.
Veteran Andy Dalton immediately stabilized the offense, completing 26 out of 37 total passing attempts for 319 yards and three touchdowns. WR Diontae Johnson was electric, racking up a game-high eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown. Dalton’s ability to stretch the field also helped the ground attack, as Chuba Hubbard rumbled for a season-high 114 rushing yards on 21 carries.
On the other side of the ball, the Panthers defense also looked somewhat improved after giving up 73 total points combined through the first two weeks of the season. Carolina really did a great job slowing down the Las Vegas backfield, as Zamir White and Alexander Mattison only rushed for a combined 41 total yards.
Our Bengals vs Panthers Week 4 NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
Something has to give in this particular matchup, as Cincinnati will either finally find a way to win a game to keep their playoff hopes alive or Carolina will prove that their Week 3 win with Dalton under center wasn’t a complete fluke. Many bettors have clearly lost faith in the Bengals, as this spread continues to tighten leading up to kickoff.
With Tee Higgins back in the lineup on Monday, the Bengals offense immediately found more success through the air. While a matchup against one of the NFL’s worst passing defenses certainly also played a role, there is no doubt that Burrow looked much more comfortable after a shaky start.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Bengals -4.5
When Cincinnati opened the week as 5.5-point favorites, I really didn’t see a ton of value on either side of the spread in this particular spot. However, now that the Bengals are available at -4.5, I think the case can be made that they are the optimal pick against the spread here in Week 4 despite their atrocious 0-3 record.
Although it is very rare to use the phrase “must win” for a game played in the opening month of the regular season, there is absolutely no doubt that this is a matchup that Cincinnati needs to emerge victorious from. While the Panthers looked much better last weekend, this is still the same franchise that got outscored 73-13 over their first two games.
I don’t expect Andy Dalton to have anywhere near the same level of success he did against Las Vegas, as the Bengals defense did a great job against Patrick Mahomes in Week 2 before getting torched on the ground by a mobile quarterback on MNF. Dalton is nowhere near as nimble on the ground as Jayden Daniels, so he might come back to earth a little bit on Sunday afternoon following his impressive debut.
Ultimately, I’d much rather take my chances with a desperate Cincinnati squad in this matchup, especially considering that they could easily be 2-1 instead of 0-3 if a couple suspect calls had gone their way to open the year. Lay the points and take the Bengals to cover!
