Bears vs Panthers picks, predictions, odds for NFL Week 1 game

The Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers play on Sunday, Sept. 13, at the Panthers' Bank of America Stadium in a game on the NFL Week 1 schedule.

Which team will win the NFL Week 1 game?

Check out these NFL

Week 1 picks and NFL Week 1 predictions for the game, which can be seen at 10 a.m. MST on FOX (stream with FUBO).

The Bears are a 3-point favorite over the Panthers in NFL Week 1 odds for the game, courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.

Chicago is -160 on the moneyline, while Carolina is +130. The over/under (point total) is set at 47.5 points.

Watch Bears vs Panthers on FUBO (free trial)

The Arizona Republic: Bears 30, Panthers 20

Jeremy Cluff writes: "The Bears are expecting Caleb Williams to make a big leap in Year 3. That could be scary news for the NFC and the Panthers after he had 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions and 3,942 yards passing in 2025."

Bookies.com: Bet the Panthers with the points vs Bears

Bill Speros writes: "A surprisingly competitive Week 1 game has two defending divisional champions looking to prove that last season wasn't a fluke. Carolina and Chicago over-performed against the line and finished 2nd and 3rd on the number in the NFC, respectively. Oddsmakers tightened things up for both this season. Panthers QB Bryce Young needs to limit turnovers (11 picks last season) while the rest of the offense catches up. The Bears and Caleb Williams must bounce back from a heartbreaking divisional round playoff loss at home. Williams and new OC Press Taylor drew the Panthers' top-tier defense in Week 1. Welcome to Opposite Week."

Sports Betting Dime: Bears 24.9, Panthers 18.1

The site's formula predicts that the Bears will win the NFL Week 1 game against the Panthers.

ESPN: Bears have a 59.6% chance to beat Panthers

The site gives the Panthers a 40% shot at winning the NFL Week 1 game, with the remaining percentage accounting for a tie.

Dimers: Bears 23, Panthers 21

It writes: "After extensive simulations, our model gives the Bears a win probability of 59%, while the Panthers have a win probability of 41%."

BetMGM: Bet the Bears to score over 24.5 points vs Panthers

Nick Hennion writes: "Based on Chicago’s success running the ball last year and Carolina’s defensive struggles against good rushing teams, my Panthers vs Bears prediction is the Bears Over 24.5 Points. My only real concern here is how high the bar is set for a Week 1 game. Last year, the Bears opened with a 24-point performance against Minnesota that included a defensive score. Ben Johnson’s offense peaked late in the 2025 season. Chicago finished ninth in offensive DVOA and fifth in weighted DVOA, which places increased emphasis on later games."

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Reach Jeremy Cluff at [e-mail]. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Bears vs Panthers picks, predictions, odds for NFL Week 1 game

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