Kansas City Chiefs vs. Carolina Panthers Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 24th 2024

Preview and Prediction

Rejuvenated and prepared, the Carolina Panthers may encounter a contentious group of Kansas City Chiefs when Patrick Mahomes makes his first appearance in Charlotte on Sunday afternoon.

The Panthers (3-7) have secured two consecutive victories and are coming off a bye week.

The Chiefs (9-1) have failed to maintain a winning streak for the first time since January. They were defeated last weekend by the Buffalo Bills, although they still hold the best record in the NFL alongside the Detroit Lions.

After a rare disappointment for the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs are bound to pay closer attention to details.

"We will use this as motivation to become a better football team in the end," Mahomes stated regarding the loss to the Bills.

Mahomes also mentioned that the Chiefs are keeping things in perspective after their first defeat since Christmas Day 2023 (20-14 to the Las Vegas Raiders).

"Being undefeated was nice, but it is not our ultimate goal," he added.

Kansas City only suffered back-to-back losses once last season, and never during their 14-3 season in 2022. They also only lost two consecutive games once in 2021 and finished with a 12-5 record. In 2020, they had a 14-2 record without losing back-to-back games.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid stated that the team quickly shifted their focus from Buffalo to the Panthers, without any discussions about remaining undefeated.

"I do not hear much talk about that from them, or think that they care too much about it. They just exhaust themselves to prepare for the team they are facing that week. Then, they reach a point where they say, 'I have done everything I can. Here is the result.' And then they play," Reid said.

Mahomes poses a challenge for defenses in multiple ways, even with an offense that has been impacted by injuries. There is a possibility that running back Isiah Pacheco (broken leg) could return from injured reserve, but Reid stated that the decision would not be made until later in the week.

Pacheco's aggressive running style requires a team effort to tackle, but the Panthers do not want to lose focus on their goal of containing Mahomes.

With the defensive backs improving at identifying formations, the Panthers are giving themselves a better chance of success in the secondary.

"They are also making plays when the ball comes their way," first-year coach Dave Canales said. "So, there has been a lot of growth there."

The Panthers are sticking with Bryce Young at quarterback, as expected after securing two victories since he returned to the starting role.

"This is about continued progress," Canales said. "Bryce looks more and more confident."

With a quarterback who is still adjusting and trying to increase production, the Panthers anticipate that the Chiefs will use various defensive packages to test Young's ability to handle different looks.

"We need to be prepared for those adjustments," Canales said. "They will have a variety of strategies, so we need to execute our best plays as quickly as possible to put pressure on them."

The Panthers will not underestimate the Chiefs in any way. They are well aware of the strengths of their opponents.

"We need to tighten up our details even more, knowing that they are coming in looking for a win," Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn said.

The Panthers were without starting left guard Damien Lewis due to illness on Wednesday, but the rest of the team's available players are expected to increase.

Receiver Adam Thielen is set to return to action for the first time since September after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Perhaps the most significant development that has been brewing for a few weeks is the expected NFL debut of running back Jonathan Brooks (knee).

"I have high hopes for him playing this Sunday," Canales said. "Especially with Miles Sanders out (ankle), it will be great to have another running back in there with Chuba Hubbard."

PREDICTION

Kansas City Chiefs

27

16

Carolina Panthers