What an absolute barnstormer to kick off Week 1 at Bank of America Stadium. Punting fans who tuned in expecting a quiet opening round were treated to a staggering scoreboard blowout as the Chicago Bears rolled past the Carolina Panthers in a 59-37 spectacle.
The market had the Chicago Bears marked as clear favourites at 1.62 in the head-to-head, and they certainly delivered for punters who backed them to get the job done on the road. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers found themselves up against it despite a passionate home crowd, unable to slow down an opposition firing on all cylinders.
How the game unfolded
From the opening whistle, both offences found rhythm, but it was the Chicago Bears who seized control and refused to let go. Bouncing off a strong 34-17 victory against the Seattle Seahawks in their previous outing, the visitors kept their foot firmly on the accelerator to rack up an extraordinary 59 points.
For the Carolina Panthers, it was a tough defensive outing right from the jump. The hosts came into this fixture following a 19-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers, and while they managed to put 37 points on the board, the defensive frailties proved too much to overcome against a rampant Chicago attack.
How the tips went
It was a successful outing for our published selections on the day, with both main recommendations landing cleanly for punters following the action.
First up, the head-to-head tip on the Chicago Bears at 1.65 saluted comfortably as the visitors powered away with the 59-37 victory. Secondly, the line selection on the Chicago Bears -2.5 also got the job done with plenty of room to spare, covering the spread well inside the 22-point winning margin.