2005 · DIV

Final

Panthers

Carolina

QB Jake Delhomme

29·21

Bears

Chicago

QB Rex Grossman

Soldier Field · outdoors · grass · 40°F · wind 15mph

Closing spread

CHI -3

Total

31

Model margin

+5.8est.

CHI perspective

Push chance

7.4%est.

the line sits on a key number

Win probability

  • Bears
  • Panthers

How each play moved the game.

Bears winsPanthers wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Panthersedge mapBears
  • +0.011EPA / play-0.138
  • 41.2%Success rate37.0%
  • +0.125EPA / dropback-0.147
  • -0.116EPA / rush-0.129
  • 7.4%Explosive rate8.0%
  • 43.3%Third-down rate28.3%
  • 63.9%Red-zone TD rate49.7%
  • 1.90Points / drive1.08
  • 2.4%Turnover rate2.6%
  • -0.118EPA / play allowed-0.167

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

CHI lead 9–4 since 1999

CHI have won 5 straight. Meetings average 43.3 points. CHI are 6-5-2 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2026 · W1CHI @ CAR5937CHI
2024 · W5CAR @ CHI1036CHI
2023 · W10CAR @ CHI1316CHI
2020 · W6CHI @ CAR2316CHI
2017 · W7CAR @ CHI317CHI
2014 · W5CHI @ CAR2431CAR
2012 · W8CAR @ CHI2223CHI
2011 · W4CAR @ CHI2934CHI

Box score

Individual performances

Panthers

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Jake Delhomme24/3331931

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
DeShaun Foster16543.40
Nick Goings10343.40
Steve Smith3268.70
Jake Delhomme294.50

Bears

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Rex Grossman17/4119211

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Thomas Jones20804.00
Adrian Peterson591.81
Rex Grossman155.00
Jason McKie133.01

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +33.3%6.2%7.4%3.2%5.0%3.3%3.1%

Positive margins favour Bears; negative favour Panthers.

Half-point at risk

7.39%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

64.5%

Expected total

41.6est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)-2.50
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment+5.21
  • Rest differential+0.56
  • Expected margin+5.83