The Colts and Panthers do not play often in the regular season since they are in different conferences. The last meeting in the regular season was a 38-9 Colts home win back in December 2019. The Panthers won a game in Indy in 2011 and are 3-1 in the regular season as the road team against the Colts.
Panthers Competition Behind Darnold
Carolina traded for New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold in the off-season, but the new signal-caller and most of the starters won’t play on Sunday. Coach Matt Rhule will get a good look at his other quarterback and running back options throughout the contest.
Former XFL player P.J. Walker is expected to start at quarterback. Walker played four games last year with the Panthers and completed 57.1% of his passes with one touchdown and five interceptions. Former Florida and West Virginia quarterback Will Grier is also on the Panthers’ depth chart behind Darnold and Walker.
With star running back Christian McCaffrey still working his way back from his 2020 injury, the Panthers will have draftee Chuba Hubbard at running back. The former Oklahoma State running back will get the workload along with Reggie Bonnafon and Rodney Smith.
Carolina lost wideout Curtis Samuel in free agency but drafted Terrance Marshall and Shi Smith while adding David Moore from Seattle. Dan Arnold and Ian Thomas are battling for the starting tight end position.
On the defensive side, Jaycee Horn is the new addition in the secondary as a first-round pick. In free agency, Carolina added Morgan Fox (DE), Haason Reddick (LB), A.J. Bouye (CB), and Denzel Perryman (LB).
Colts Ready for a New Era at Quarterback
The Colts have been loaded at quarterback for the last two decades with Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and first overall pick Andrew Luck. After Luck’s retirement, they struggled at the position for a season before Phillip Rivers led the team in 2020. Rivers is now retired, and the Colts traded for Carson Wentz in the offseason.
Wentz is injured, and the Colts are hoping he will be ready for the regular-season opener. In his place, they will play a pair of quarterbacks without NFL experience. Jacob Eason, a fourth-round pick in 2020, will start with 2021 sixth-rounder Sam Ehlinger as the backup. Former Packers and Cardinals quarterback Brett Hundley is also on the roster.
The Colts have veterans at running back and wide receiver, likely to sit on Sunday. Seventh-round pick Mike Strachan out of Division II Charleston has been turning heads in camp and will get an opportunity against the Panthers.
The Colts’ start defense added first-rounder Kwity Paye to the defensive line while letting Justin Houston go in free agency. They brought in veteran Xavier Rhoades from the Vikings to play in the secondary.
Betting Analysis
Carolina Panthers +3 (-110). Moneyline +130.
Indianapolis Colts -3 (-110). Moneyline -150
Total: 34.5 points. Over -115. Under -105.
The Colts are the better team in talent and execution. However, the Panthers are going to play more players with NFL experience, and grabbing them as underdogs is a good value. With a bunch of inexperienced quarterbacks on the field, the under may be a good pick as well.
FREE PICK: Panthers Moneyline +130