If you’re looking for an example of Super Bowl hangover, look no further than the defending world champion Los Angeles Rams. The season started with a miserable beating at home from the Buffalo Bills, in a game that was tied at 10 at the half but turned into a 31-10 thrashing. Then came suspiciously tight wins over the Rams and the Cardinals, and then the offense fell apart against San Francisco and Dallas, as the Ram offense only mustered 19 combined points in those two losses. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has gotten back to his old habits from Detroit, including forcing balls under pressure and taking bad picks as a result. Next up should be a chance to work out some frustrations, though, as the Carolina Panthers show up minus head coach Matt Rhule, and minus Baker Mayfield (high ankle sprain) and Sam Darnold (ankle sprain), which means that P.J. Walker will start under center. Can the Rams deliver the rout? Don’t miss our online betting preview.
NFL Preview: Carolina Panthers at L.A. Rams
(Sunday, October 16)
When: Sunday, October 16, 2022, 4:05 pm ET
Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
TV: FOX
Radio: WRFX 99.7 FM Charlotte / ESPNLA 710 AM Los Angeles
Live Stream: Sling TV
NFL Odds: Los Angeles -10 / O/U 42 // Carolina +360 / Los Angeles -480
Why should you bet on the Panthers?
This is a difficult sports betting argument to make. To be sure, the Rams have been struggling as of late, but starting a third-string quarterback is not a recipe for success. P.J. Walker has an 83.3% completion rate this season, but that is based on a 5 of 6 stat line for 60 yards. He has some game receivers, as D.J. Moore and Robbie Anderson have a touchdown apiece, and Christian McCaffrey leads the team with 26 catches. McCaffrey’s success tells you how much time Baker Mayfield was having to spend throwing check-down passes out of the backfield, though. McCaffrey has 324 rushing yards through five games, not a stellar level of output.
The defense has also been struggling, permitting 24.4 points per game. Brian Burns has led the pass rush with four sacks, but the Panther D hasn’t been slowing anyone down. The Panthers have lost against the spread in five straight road games, and they have only covered in five of their last 21 games overall. However, something will have to give, as the Rams have failed to cover in four straight home games and have only covered in one of their last seven overall. Given the limits that Walker should show – and the talent at work in the Rams’ front seven – staying within 10 will be a challenge.
Why should you put your money on the Rams?
The Rams spend a lot of time getting in their own way on offense, as Matthew Stafford has already thrown seven interceptions. However, he also has five touchdown passes, and Tyler Higbee and Cooper Kupp have combined for four receiving touchdowns. Cam Akers is the top tailback with 151 yards through five games, showing that the team has some progress to make in this part of the offense. Ben Skowronek leads the team with 18 catches, which shows you how much the team misses having Odell Beckham Jr around to draw opponents’ attention away from Kupp.
On defense, the Rams are permitting 23.2 points per game, and while Aaron Donald leads the team with four sacks, and Bobby Wagner has 39 tackles, the Rams are not getting enough stops to keep things close for a struggling offense. It is worth noting that the home team has covered in seven of the last 11 games between these two teams.
Final Score and Prediction
A ten-point spread is fairly large, but we’re talking about the defending Super Bowl champions hosting a team starting its #3 quarterback. I see the Rams making Walker’s life miserable and forcing a few turnovers, and I predict a final score of Los Angeles 41, Carolina 13.
NFL Betting Odds
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