The Carolina Panthers are coming off a monster win over the Atlanta Falcons. Conversely, the New England Patriots are coming off an ugly loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. These teams will face off this weekend. This Panthers-Patriots Week 4 showdown sees one of them moving to 2-2. These Panthers-Patriots bold predictions will cover some interesting possibilities this weekend.
New England is favored to win by 5.5 points over Carolina, according to FanDuel. So far, they have not done their due diligence, losing both of their home games this season. The Pats look to secure their first win at Gillette Stadium this year.
This showdown is between teams from different conferences, and there are many things to unpack. Who will win? The Panthers-Patriots Week 4 clash will be a good one to watch. Here are three Panthers-Patriots bold predictions for Week 4, and how this game might unfold.
Bryce Young turns the football over three times
Bryce Young did not need to do much in the 40-0 blowout win over the Atlanta Falcons. Still, he did enough not to cost them. Young has passed for 603 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. With one of his top weapons out for a few weeks, it might be tougher for him to have a good game.
Young struggled to start the season, going 18 for 35 with 154 yards passing, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Then, he went 35 for 55 with 328 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in Week 2. Young went 16 for 24 with 121 yards in Week 3, but did not throw a touchdown. However, he will have a tougher time against New England. Christian Gonzalez will likely return this weekend, which should make it more difficult for Young to find his top receiver.
Young had three two-interception games in 2024 and 2023, each. Currently, he already has one. Young has not proven he can carry this team without his running game. While the Cats ran the ball effectively, they will find it slightly more challenging against a defense that held Jaylen Warren to 18 carries for 47 yards in Week 3. They also held De'Von Achane to 11 carries for just 30 yards in Week 2. Before that, they held rookie Ashton Jeanty to 19 rushes for 38 yards. That will force Young to make plays, which is not something he has proven he can do.
Drake Maye will have a good game
Drake Maye made a critical mistake that cost the Patriots the game against the Steelers in Week 3. Now, he looks to redeem himself and finally get his first home win of the season. It has not all been bad for Maye. So far, he has passed for 785 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. Maye has not hit 300 yards yet, but has been close.
Maye started the season going 30 for 46 with 287 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Then, he followed it up by going 19 for 23 with 230 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Miami Dolphins. Maye went 28 for 37 with 268 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception last weekend against the Steelers.
The Panthers have done a solid job on quarterbacks. So far, they have allowed just 199.67 yards per game through the air, ranking 12th. But they have yet to face a quarterback who has shown he can make plays with his arm. Maye has a chance to put a dent in their stats and have a great game against the Cats.
The Patriots win on a last-second field goal
When the Patriots defeated the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, they did it on a game-winning field goal by Adam Vinatieri. Similarly, this game could go down to the wire. Although the Panthers have already had two blowouts (one loss and one win), the Patriots have been involved in three close games.
The Panthers' 40-0 blowout win over the Falcons was impressive. However, usually teams, especially mediocre teams, stumble after such a win. The Cats are flying high, but will be playing a Pats team that has yet to win a home game. Therefore, the odds for the Patriots finally getting a home win are more likely than the Panthers going into Foxboro and stealing one.
Young is a third-year quarterback, while Maye is a second-year quarterback. Expect both quarterbacks to try to carry their teams to victory. But one or two critical errors will put the Pats in a situation where they have a chance to win the game. Maye will take advantage of his opportunity and march the Patriots down the field. Then, Andy Borregales will make his mark and hit the game-winning field goal to seal the game for the Pats.
