Carolina Panthers vs. Dolphins: Our predictions, betting advice, TV/radio channels
The Carolina Panthers are putting their flawless home record on the line when they host the Miami Dolphins in Bank of America Stadium on Sunday.
And they’ll be looking for some more Mint Street magic.
The Panthers fell to 1-3 against the New England Patriots last week after doing pretty much everything they eluded doing against the Atlanta Falcons in their 30-0 home win in Week 3. In Foxborough they gave up a punt return for a touchdown. They missed kicks. They failed to tackle. They didn’t turn the ball over on offense, yes, but they also failed to furnish any explosiveness, and that turned a bad day into a horrible one.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, rose to 1-3 Monday night with an important win over the winless New York Jets. They lost a key offensive weapon in Tyreek Hill to a dislocated knee, but their offense remains fast and promising, even if their defense — 26th in scoring — is far from among the league’s best.
This all gets us to the point: Who will win?
Observer reporters Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow, as well as columnist Scott Fowler, all weigh in on this question in our weekly game predictions. See those below. Everything else you need to know — from betting lines to broadcast information — is in this article, too.
How to watch, listen, follow Panthers-Dolphins
Fans can catch the contest on FOX. A fun wrinkle: Eric Collins — the melodious and lively Charlotte Hornets broadcaster — will fulfill play-by-play duties on Sunday. Mark Schlereth will be the analyst, with Jen Hale again serving as the sideline reporter.
The game will also be broadcast on WRFX The Fox, with Anish Shroff, Jake Delhomme, Luke Kuechly and Kristen Balboni on the airwaves. That’s 99.7 FM in Charlotte and 101.5 FM in Raleigh. The rest of the station’s local listings can be found on the Carolina Panthers Radio Network.
Spanish radio, as always, will be on WXNC 97.3 FM and 1060 AM with Jaime Moreno and Antonio Ramos.
Fans can also stream the game on Fubo or NFL+ with valid subscriptions.
Panthers-Dolphins inactives
The Panthers ruled out four players Friday ahead of their Week 5 matchup with the Dolphins. They also activated LaBryan Ray (ankle) from injured reserve and elevated linebacker Krys Barnes from the practice squad on Saturday.
Below are the inactives for the matchup for the Panthers:
- CB Chau Smith-Wade (chest)
- TE Ja’Tavion Sanders (ankle)
- RB Chuba Hubbard (calf)
- DE Turk Wharton (toe)
- LB Claudin Cherelus
- DE Jaden Crumedy
Below are the Dolphins’ inactives:
- CB Storm Duck (ankle)
- WR Cedrick Wilson (knee)
- DT Zeek Biggers
- QB Quinn Ewers
- RB Jaylen Wright
Betting info: Dolphins still favored
The Carolina Panthers opened as 1.5-point underdogs against the Dolphins despite being at home against another one-win team, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under was initially set at 44.5 points.
The Panthers are 2-2 against the spread this season; those came when they defeated the Falcons and then when they came five points short against the Cardinals, who were favored by seven at game time. The Dolphins, similarly, are 2-2 against the spread.
Some other bets you might find compelling for Sunday’s game:
- Anytime Touchdown — Tetairoa McMillan. The first-round pick for the Panthers has yet to score an NFL touchdown, true. But the moment is coming. And in a game where the Panthers will need to have a lot of offensive success to contend with the Dolphins, such a bet makes sense. McMillan is +145 for an anytime touchdown, +900 for “first” score and +800 for “last” score.
- Player Rushing Yards — Rico Dowdle. Sure, the Panthers on Sunday are without starting running back Chuba Hubbard, who is out with a calf injury. But against this rushing defense that is 30th in the league, allowing 158 yards per game, you got to imagine the Panthers will have a solid game on the ground nonetheless. Dowdle’s over/under for rushing yards is 59.5; quarterback Bryce Young’s is 12.5.
- Player Passing Yards — Tua Tagovailoa. The over/under line for Tagovailoa’s passing yards is 218.5. That’s above three of his four performances this season. The Panthers have allowed opposing quarterbacks to play well outside of the Falcons’ Michael Penix in Week 3, but even then, the opposing QBs’ numbers haven’t been all that gaudy. Their passing yards: 178, 220, 172, 203. So 218.5 feels high — even if Tagovailoa puts on a good performance and impacts the game in other ways.
Game predictions
Fowler stayed a perfect 4-0 after predicting a regression in Foxborough in Week 4. Zietlow and Kaye are each 1-3.
Fowler: Dolphins 25, Panthers 22. The Panthers have caught a break with Tyreek Hill’s season-ending injury, but it still appears to me there is a little more talent on the Miami sideline and still not enough pass rush for the Panthers. I’ll take Tua over Bryce in the battle of former Alabama quarterbacks. Bonus prediction: Xavier Legette is going to play well.
Kaye: Dolphins 27, Panthers 20. Maybe Mint Street is a source of strength for the Panthers, but I can’t justify picking them this week, even against a bad Miami Dolphins squad. Even without Tyreek Hill, this is a fast offense, so I’m expecting the defense to struggle. I don’t think the Miami defense is good at all, but I don’t trust this offense to be consistent either.
Zietlow: Dolphins 31, Panthers 21. Ugh. It makes me uneasy when we’re all aligned on a prediction. I’m particularly nervous about that considering the Panthers had an “if it rains it pours” kind of outing against the Patriots last week that not only often skews a team’s ability but also prompts a great week of preparation. Still, I think the Dolphins win. The Panthers are weakened without starting running back Chuba Hubbard. And the Dolphins? They’re fast. Explosive. On Monday, they looked like a real team, no matter how many gifts the Jets gave them. (Plus, forecasts predict weather will be wonderful in Charlotte: partly cloudy with a high of 80. That spells production for this Miami offense, right? Right?!) Before I talk myself out of this one, let’s conclude: I’m taking the Dolphins.
This story was originally published October 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
