Carolina Panthers vs Washington Commanders Matchup

Read our Panthers vs Commanders pick and preview for this NFL pre-season week 7 game in Landover. Check out who we like to win and cover the spread in this regular season NFL matchup.

The Panthers and Commanders will face off on Sunday, October 20th at 4:05 ET on CBS. The Commanders are the heavy favorite with a money line of -370, and they are favored by -7.5 points in this week seven NFC matchup. The over/under line is set at 52 points for this game, which is being played at Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD.

Panthers vs. Commanders Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NFL
Teams: Carolina Panthers at Washington Commanders
Where: Landover at Northwest Stadium
Date: Sunday, October 20th
Betting Odds WAS -7.5, CAR +294 | WAS -370 O/U 52

Panthers Preview:

Heading into week 7, the Panthers are looking to snap a three-game losing streak, which includes a 38-20 home loss to the Falcons in week 6. This leaves Carolina at 1-5 on the season, with their only win coming against the Raiders in week 3. The Panthers are currently 4th in the NFC South with an 0-2 division record, and our projections give them just a 0.2% chance of making the playoffs.

Carolina is 1-5 against the spread, failing to cover in three straight games. They’ve been the underdog in all of their matchups so far, including week 6, when they were +6 vs. Atlanta. The over has hit in four consecutive Panthers games, and their O/U record stands at 5-1 this season.

Panthers Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 7, the Panthers rank 26th in our offensive power rankings, scoring 17.2 points per game (25th) and averaging 298.5 yards per game (25th). They are 8th in passing attempts per game but only 23rd in passing yards, with 187.2 per game. On the ground, they rank 23rd in rushing attempts and 22nd in rushing yards, averaging 111.3 per game. Carolina ranks 24th in 3rd-down conversions but is 7th in red zone conversion percentage.

In week 6, Andy Dalton threw for 221 yards (26/38), with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Chuba Hubbard rushed for 92 yards on 18 carries, while Diontae Johnson had 6 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers scored 20 points against the Falcons, with 10 coming in the 2nd quarter.

Panthers Team Defense

In their 38-20 loss to the Falcons, the Panthers' defense struggled to generate pressure, as they failed to record any sacks and allowed Atlanta to rush for 198 yards on 38 attempts. Despite giving up 423 total yards, Carolina held the Falcons to 225 passing yards, with Atlanta averaging 7.5 yards per pass attempt. The Panthers also allowed one touchdown through the air and permitted the Falcons to convert on 50% of their third down attempts.

Carolina's defense couldn't create many negative plays, as they lost the tackles for loss battle and didn't record any quarterback hits. The Falcons found success on the ground, averaging 5.2 yards per attempt and controlling the game with 38 rushing attempts.

Commanders Preview:

Heading into week 7, the Commanders sit atop the NFC East with a 4-2 record, giving them a 64.2% chance of making the playoffs and a 45.4% chance of winning the division. Washington is 12th in our NFL power rankings and has a +5.5 scoring margin this season. Against the spread, they are 4-1-1, including a 2-0 record as the favorite.

Washington’s over/under record is 5-1, with the over hitting in four straight games. Their games have averaged 53.8 points, while the O/U line has been 45.6. In week 6, the Commanders and Ravens combined for 53 points, going over the 50.5-point line. Washington lost 30-23, pushing as 7-point underdogs.

Commanders Offense Breakdown

Jayden Daniels threw for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns in week 6, completing 24 of 35 passes without an interception. The Commanders' offense struggled on the ground, rushing for just 52 yards on 18 carries. Zach Ertz led the team in receiving with 68 yards on 4 catches.

Heading into week 7, Washington ranks 2nd in the NFL in points per game, averaging 29.7. They are 5th in passing yards per game (220.7) and 13th in rushing yards per game (157.3). Despite ranking 25th in passing attempts, they are 2nd in 3rd-down conversion percentage.

Commanders Team Defense

In their 30-23 loss to the Ravens, Washington's defense gave up 484 yards and struggled to stop the run, allowing 176 rushing yards on 37 attempts. Despite this, they did come up with one interception and two sacks. The Ravens had a big day through the air, with 308 passing yards and an average of 11.8 yards per attempt.

Opposing quarterbacks completed 76.9% of their passes against Washington, and the Commanders allowed the Ravens to convert on 60% of their third down attempts. Washington's offense wasn't able to help their defense much, as they also struggled to sustain drives, finishing with a 23% third down conversion rate.

Panthers vs Commanders Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last ten road contests, the Panthers offense has averaged 14 points per game while allowing an average of 29. Carolina posted an overall record of 1-9 while going 2-7-1 ATS.
When looking at their past three matchups at home, Washington has an ATS record of 2-0-1 while averaging 34 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
The last three games that Carolina was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 0-3 while going 0-3 straight up.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Commanders have gone 3-7 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 4-5-1.