Who will win Carolina Panthers vs. Jets? Our predictions, TV info, betting advice
The Carolina Panthers are looking to earn their third consecutive win for the first time since September 2021 this weekend.
And they have a potential “trap game” ahead of them.
The Panthers (3-3) are traveling up north to take on the New York Jets (0-6) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, at 1 p.m. Sunday. The contest marks a battle between two teams that in many ways are still trying to find who they are.
The Panthers, of course, are winners of two straight. Both wins have come thanks to a stifling run defense and, conversely, an explosive run offense furnished by the emergence of Rico Dowdle. Over the course of the past two contests, Dowdle has notched 473 scrimmage yards — breaking the previous franchise record set by Christian McCaffrey (416 scrimmage yards in 2019).
Both of those Panthers wins, it’s worth mentioning, came at home. Carolina quarterback Bryce Young has yet to earn a road win this season, and the third-year former overall No. 1 pick is 1-15 on the road as a starter for his career — which is tied for the worst record over 16 games in NFL history.
The Jets, meanwhile, haven’t won a game yet. But even still it’s tough to pinpoint their identity. They’ve lost four of their six games by a single score — three games by two points, specifically. Quarterback Justin Fields has flashed his propensity for playmaking at times this year — with the exception of his Week 6 performance where he only threw for 45 yards passing — and Breece Hall is an undeniably good lead running back having a solid year statistically.
The Jets’ team rankings aren’t too ugly either. Their defense, specifically. That unit is ninth in third-down conversion rate (36.4%) and 10th in opponent passing yards per game (200.5). Their Achilles heel to date, it appears, is their turnover margin (-1.2, 31st in the NFL).
That’s all to get to the question: Who will win?
Here’s a one-stop shop for everything you should know ahead of the Week 7 game. Below you’ll find game predictions from Observer reporters Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow, as well as from columnist Scott Fowler. Everything else — from betting lines to broadcast information — is in this article, too.
Panthers-Jets inactives
The Panthers will see the return of defensive lineman Turk Wharton, who has missed time with a toe injury, as well as interior offensive lineman Austin Corbett and wide receiver Jalen Coker. Corbett will start in the injured stead of Damien Lewis, who suffered a shoulder injury this week.
The full team’s inactive list Sunday: WR Hunter Renfrow, RB DeeJay Dallas, G Damien Lewis, TE James Mitchell, DT Cam Jackson, DT Jaden Crumedy.
The Jets’ inactive list Sunday: Garrett Wilson, Michael Carter II, Qwan’tez Stiggers, Cam Jones, Esa Pole, Jelani Woods, Tyler Baron.
How to watch, listen, follow Panthers-Jets
The Panthers-Jets game will be televised on FOX this week, with Chris Myers handling the play-by-play duties, Mark Schlereth as the analyst and Sarah Kustok as the sideline reporter.
Fans can also catch the game on WRFX 99.7 FM. That crew is the same as it is every week, pretty much: Anish Shroff, Luke Kuechly, Jim Szoke, Sharon Thorsland. Check out the Carolina Panthers Radio Network for local listings. And as always, Panthers fans can catch the game on Spanish radio on WCNC 97.3 FM and 1060 AM, with Jaime Moreno and Antonio Ramos in the booth.
Betting info: Panthers favored for the first time this year
The Panthers are favored for the first time this season. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Carolina is a 1.5-point favorite as of Saturday. The over/under is set at 41.5. The Panthers’ moneyline is -118; the Jets’ moneyline is +100.
The Panthers are 4-2 against the spread. The Jets, meanwhile, are 3-3 against the spread.
Here are some bets you might find compelling for Sunday:
- Player Rushing Yards — Rico Dowdle. The over/under line on Dowdle’s rush yards is 57.5. The books are betting that Chuba Hubbard’s return to the lineup will diminish his totals, which makes sense. But after watching Dowdle run for 206 and then 183, this one might be too compelling of a line to not take the over.
- Receiving Props — Jalen Coker. Coker is making his big return, and while he might not be a game-changer out of the gate, he’s still expected to be a possession receiver. Taking the over on 2.5 catches sounds rational.
- Alternative Receiving Yards — Breece Hall. Just leaving these here, as again, the Panthers still at times struggle defending running backs in the pass game. Hall’s alternative receiving yards: 5+ (-1600), 10+ (-580), 15+ (-310), 20+ (-188), 25+ (-125) ... and so on.
Predicting who will win the Jets-Panthers game
Fowler extended his lead over Kaye and Zietlow last week as he was the only one to correctly guess that the Panthers would defeat the Cowboys. That moves him to 5-1 on the year, with Kaye and Zietlow at 1-5 each.
Fowler: Panthers 23, Jets 13. The Panthers are winless on the road this season and quarterback Bryce Young has been historically awful in his road starts over a three-season period. Nevertheless, I think those trends reverse against an 0-6 Jets team with all sorts of problems. This feels like the day the Panthers finally leap over the .500 mark. Bonus prediction: Rookie Nic Scourton gets his first career sack.
Kaye: Panthers 24, Jets 17. The Panthers are on a roll, and I think they get their first road win of the season against the winless Jets. The tight ends have done a great job in blocking for Rico Dowdle, and I think they’ll be rewarded with heavy targets against New York. Look for Tommy Tremble to find pay dirt, with another tight end — likely Mitchell Evans — joining him in the touchdown club.
Zietlow: Panthers 21, Jets 14. Just when I begin to think I know who these Panthers are, they surprise me, and their running back goes on a two-game heater of a lifetime, and their quarterback looks dialed in, and their defense is flawless. I expect the Panthers’ winning ways to continue in New Jersey, especially with the consideration that the Jets are likely without their best offensive player, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who is labeled as doubtful. But I’ll expect anything at this point.
This story was originally published October 19, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
