CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers will play the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday in a Week 12 matchup.
Even with the Panthers (3-7) riding a two-game winning streak and the Chiefs (9-1) coming off a tough loss, oddsmakers are heavily favoring the road team.
Kansas City is an 11-point favorite against Carolina. It's the worst odds for a home team in a game this season.
The Chiefs started the season with a 9-0 record by coming up big in close games. Seven of the Chiefs' wins have ended with one-score margins. Kansas City looks to win an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl this year.
The Panthers, meanwhile, are looking for a strong finish to the year after a dreadful 1-7 start that featured an average loss of 23 points in their seven defeats. Two straight wins with former No. 1 pick Bryce Young starting at quarterback have given the Panthers some hope in the second half of the season.
The lopsided odds are tied for the sixth-worst spread in a home game in Panthers history. Carolina was last an 11-point underdog in a Week 11 game in 2023 against the Dallas Cowboys, which the Panthers lost 33-10.
The worst odds in Panthers history for a home game were against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15 of 1995. The 49ers were 14.5 favorites and won 31-10. The worst road game odds in Panthers history came against the St. Louis Rams in Week 9 of 2001, when the Rams were 18-point favorites. Carolina lost that game 48-14.
Only once have the Panthers won when faced with 11-point or larger spreads at home. The Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21-3 in Week 7 of 2022 after the Buccaneers were favored by 13 points. Carolina's biggest upset came against a 14-point spread against the 49ers in Week 10 of 1995 when the Panthers won 13-7 on the road.
This is the second game this season that the Panthers have faced an 11-point spread. The Denver Broncos were 11-point home favorites in Week 8 against the Panthers. Denver won 28-14.
Kansas City's heavily favored odds against the Panthers could be tough to trust in Week 12. The Chiefs have only beaten one opponent by at least 11 points this season -- a 26-13 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. On the other hand, all seven of the Panthers' losses have come by at least 14 points.
The Panthers and Chiefs play on Sunday at 1 p.m.