Bears vs. Panthers Week 1 Expert Prediction Roundup: Which Team Has the Edge?

Who are the experts predicting will come out on top in the Chicago Bears season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon?

Aug 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson stands on the sidelines during the second half in the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Bears open the 2026 NFL season in Carolina to take on the reigning NFC South champion Carolina Panthers.

They'll be eager to show that last season was no fluke, and Panthers are their first step in that endeavor. Luckily for the Bears, history is on their side in the matchup. They have an all-time record against the Panthers of 9-4, and they're currently riding a four-game winning streak dating back to 2017. Carolina hasn't beaten Chicago since the 2014 campaign.

The Panthers also tend to stumble out of the gates to start the year. They boast a pristine 1-6 record in season openers since 2018, with their only win coming in 2021 over the lowly (and eventual 4-13) New York Jets. All things considered, it was a relatively soft landing spot for Chicago after one of their most improbable seasons in franchise history.

Carolina might've shown flashes of being contenders last season (specifically in both matchups against the Rams), but they're far from world beaters. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Bears are currently 3-point favorites entering the matchup. The vast majority of early money is on Chicago, as well.

Do the experts agree with the degenerate gamblers over in Vegas? (I can call them that because I, too, am one of them.)

Expert predictions

Jerry Markarian, BearsOnSI: Chicago Bears

Gene Chamberlain, BearsOnSI: Chicago Bears

Iain McMillan, SI: Carolina Panthers

Albert Breer, SI: Chicago Bears

Eva Geitheim, SI: Chicago Bears

Mitch Goldich, SI: Chicago Bears

Mike Kadlick, SI: Chicago Bears

Gilberto Manzano, SI: Chicago Bears

Conor Orr, SI: Chicago Bears

John Pluym, SI: Carolina Panthers

Matt Verderame, SI: Chicago Bears

Jeremy Bergman, NFL.com: Carolina Panthers

Brooke Cersosimo, NFL.com: Carolina Panthers

Genaro Filice, NFL.com: Chicago Bears

Bobby Kownack, NFL.com: Chicago Bears

Dan Parr, NFL.com: Chicago Bears

Matt Bowen, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Jeremy Fowler, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Dan Graziano, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Benjamin Solak, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Seth Wickersham, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Lindsey Thiry, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Jason Reid, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Eric Moody, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Pamela Maldonado, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Kalyn Kahler, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Mike Clay, ESPN: Chicago Bears

Mike Florio, PFT: Chicago Bears

Gary Davenport, BR: Chicago Bears

Moe Moton, BR: Chicago Bears

Brad Gagnon, BR: Chicago Bears

Kris Knox, BR: Chicago Bears

Brent Sobleski, BR: Chicago Bears

Wes O'Donnell, BR: Chicago Bears

Ian Hanford, BR: Chicago Bears

Pete Prisco, CBSSports: Chicago Bears

Jared Dubin, CBSSports: Chicago Bears

Ryan Wilson, CBSSports: Chicago Bears

Tyler Sulivan, CBSSports: Chicago Bears

Dave Richard, CBSSports: Chicago Bears

Jamey Eisenberg, CBSSports: Chicago Bears

Adam Kaufman, USAToday: Chicago Bears

Tom Viera, USAToday: Carolina Panthers (at +2.5 spread)

Richard Morin, USAToday: Chicago Bears

Consensus: 39-5 in favor of the Bears

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