Our panel is starting to find their rhythm in the season and everyone is close in total record, but this week there’s one game that has split the experts: Bears vs. Panthers.
SB Nation NFL Expert Picks, Week 6: Bears vs. Panthers is the most intriguing matchup of the week
Could the Bears really move to 5-1?
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Two of the NFC’s biggest surprises, both Chicago and Carolina are lingering in that weird middle ground where people are still trying to determine whether they’re for real, or pretenders. The Bears have given us some truly shocking wins en route to their 4-1 record, including a one point win over the Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football.
Meanwhile the Panthers, who everyone thought would be in a rebuilding year without much success, are coming off back-to-back wins, despite being without Christian McCaffery. The new-look offense is more pass oriented than the Panthers have had in a while, and Teddy Bridgewater is thriving, completing 73 percent of his passes.
This is one of those games where neither team necessarily needs to win, but their playoff chances really could hinge on a victory when the season end. This will be a date both teams circle and note that it was here where the season was made, or not — which makes this one of Week 6’s premiere matchups.
If Chicago wins they move to 5-1, contending with the Packers in determining who will win the division. Meanwhile the similar is said for Carolina, who are locked in a three-way battle with New Orleans and Tampa Bay, with any of these teams potentially winning the NFC South when it’s done.
On the other end of the spectrum Week 6 we have several games where everyone is in lockstep. New England over Denver, the Vikings beating Atlanta, and the Rams besting the beat-up 49ers are seen as the safest locks of the week. However, as we’ve seen this morning there’s no predicting what can happen in the NFL. Nobody thought the Browns would be rolling how they are, or Buffalo being one of the best teams in the NFL — or Justin Herbert leading the Chargers as quickly as he’s been able to.
This season is so weird that’s there’s only one bonafide winner: The SB Nation universe. Our reacts picks are 46-14 on the year, and frankly kind of killing all of us. So if you’re one of the people who has joined us in voting each week give yourself some credit, because you’re seriously killing it. Honestly, I’m impressed. Bravo. If you’d like to sign up to vote each week, click here!
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