How do the Carolina Panthers match up with the Chicago Bears? It’s not hard to see
By Alex Zietlow and
Mike Kaye
Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson catches the ball for a touchdown during the game against the Bengals at Bank of America stadium in Charlotte, NC on Sunday, September 29, 2024. The Panthers still fell to the Bengals, 34-24.
MELISSA MELVIN-RODRIGUEZ
mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
The Carolina Panthers vs. Chicago Bears matchup in Week 5 was circled before the season — with most of America thinking it would be a duel pitting the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2023 against the top pick in 2024.
That Bryce Young-Caleb Williams storyline won’t be there Sunday, for obvious reasons.
But there’s still plenty of intrigue in this matchup.
Breaking down all this intrigue — and addressing the question, “Who will win?” — is none other than your favorite Panthers beat writers Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow in the latest episode of Processing Blue. The Observer reporters will also rehash the Bengals loss, discuss the impact of the defense’s injury situation, and more.
Alex Zietlow writes about the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life for The Charlotte Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He’s earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage on a variety of topics, from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports. Zietlow previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill (S.C.) from 2019-22.Support my work with a digital subscription
Mike Kaye writes about the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer. He also co-hosts “Processing Blue: A Panthers Podcast” for The Observer. Kaye’s work in columns/analysis and sports feature writing has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA). His reporting has also received recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).Kaye previously covered the entire NFL for Pro Football Network, the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ Advance Media and the Jacksonville Jaguars for First Coast News. Support my work with a digital subscription
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