Bears Week Five Preview vs. Panthers
Coming off an impressive 24-18 win against the Rams, the Bears set their sights on their Week Five matchup at home against the Carolina Panthers. One of the biggest storylines heading into this game was the showdown between the number one picks, Bryce Young and Caleb Williams. This matchup was meant to be, considering the Panthers and Bears swapped picks last season, causing the Panthers to select Bryce Young with the number one overall pick in 2023 and the Bears to select Caleb Williams with the number one pick this season. However, as it turns out, the matchup is not meant to be because Young is being benched for veteran quarterback Andy Dalton to get the start for the Panthers in Week Five.
To recap the entire trade that went down last season, the Bears gave up the 2023 number-one pick to the Panthers and the ninth overall pick to the Eagles. In return, the Bears received the number-one pick in 2024, wide receiver D.J. Moore, the 10th pick in 2023, which was offensive tackle Darnell Wright, the 56th overall pick, which was cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, the 122nd pick in 2024, which was punter Tory Taylor, and a 2025 second-round pick. This entire trade was both a blessing and a gift that keeps on giving for the Bears as the defense has been quite impressive this year and still continues to impress. In the last three meetings between these two teams, the Bears have won all three of these matchups.
The Bears have won seven straight games at Soldier Field and they look to continue their streak this Sunday against a 1-3 Panthers team that doesn’t have the same positive vibe for the future as the Bears offer their fanbase. While Andy Dalton steps up to the plate for this matchup, the Panthers rank near the bottom in key categories including points per game, yards per game, and third-down conversion rate. On the other hand, Caleb Williams is starting to look more mature on the field and the Bears are starting to look like they can compete week in and week out. D’Andre Swift posted 16 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown against the Rams, which proved that the Bears are capable of running the ball considering Caleb Williams completed 33-for-52 attempts against the Colts in Week Three. All in all, the Bears’ defense should once again prevail while the offense should look better against a weakened Panthers’ defense.
