Cat Scratch Reader
The Carolina Panthers are continuing their streak of opening as underdogs for the 2025 season, but the margin isn’t nearly as wide as it could be. Bryce Young may have had a breakout back half of the 2024 season but oddsmakers aren’t giving him, or the Panthers defense, the benefit of any doubts just yet.
Panthers: +3.5 (-115)
Jaguars: -3.5 (-105)
46.5 (-115/-105)
Panthers: +154
Jaguars: -184
Remember that home-field advantage is traditionally accounted for by spotting the home team—the Jaguars, in this case—three points on the spread. That means this would be nearly a dead heat on a neutral field. That’s fitting as nobody really knows what to make of either team entering this season.
Neither Young nor Trevor Lawerence have established firm reputations as quarterbacks. Both Dave Canales and first year head coach Liam Coen are relatively fresh head coaches, both having spent just one year as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator before getting their current gigs. Coen may have a longer history as an OC at other stops, but this is his first head coaching role. What either leader is going to produce this season certainly remains to be seen.
The above odds were current as of the writing of this post. You can take a look at—and place a bet on—live odds for this game and more here at FanDuel Sportsbook.
