Sun, Dec 6 at 4:25 PM ET · U.S. Bank Stadium
Expected score: CAR 17.8 – MIN 28.4
Total anchored to the league-wide baseline of 46.2 points — a shared baseline, not a matchup-specific forecast.
Home-field adjustment included (+65 Elo rating points)
Fair odds (display only): CAR 3.41 · MIN 1.42
Team ratings (Elo): CAR 1475.5 vs MIN 1563.1. 393 games trained (Oct 30).
Model: nfl-elo-v2 — Elo ratings trained on real ESPN results (2025 regular+postseason and 2026 regular season to date), chronological replay, K=20, home advantage = 65 Elo rating points, applied only at true home venues: games the feed flags neutral-site get no home bonus, in training and in prediction. Totals baseline is the mean total points of the training games (measured, not assumed). Score-model spread/total probabilities use the engine's bivariate-normal assumptions (score std 13.5, correlation 0.3) — documented approximations, not measured NFL parameters. No backtest against closing lines exists; treat all outputs as experimental uncertain forecasts.
What the win probability uses: Elo ratings only, plus a home-field adjustment of 65 Elo rating points at true home venues (no adjustment at feed-flagged neutral sites).
Contextual research (displayed, not in the calculation): Contextual research only — form, rest, injuries, head-to-head, weather, and travel do not change the win probability above.
Totals: Expected scores are centered on a shared league-wide totals baseline of 46.2 points (the mean total of the training games) — a baseline, not a matchup-specific forecast.
Score-distribution assumptions: Spread/total probabilities assume team scores are bivariate normal (score std 13.5, correlation 0.3) — documented approximations, not measured NFL parameters.
Validation status: No backtest against closing lines exists. Treat all outputs as experimental uncertain forecasts.
Data used
CAR (3-4) — 37 days rest
Last 5: 2-3 (2 straight losses)
| Oct 29, 2026 | GB | L | 19-27 |
| Oct 25, 2026 | TB | L | 13-43 |
| Oct 18, 2026 | PHI | W | 25-14 |
| Oct 4, 2026 | DET | W | 32-26 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | CLE | L | 18-21 |
MIN (6-0) — 42 days rest
Last 5: 5-0 (5 straight wins)
| Oct 25, 2026 | IND | W | 16-10 |
| Oct 11, 2026 | NO | W | 23-13 |
| Oct 4, 2026 | MIA | W | 15-10 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | TB | W | 23-16 |
| Sep 20, 2026 | CHI | W | 9-3 |
Coverage: 2024-2026 regular+postseason schedules (ESPN)
| Date | Score | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| No meetings in coverage period | ||
Week 8 report — availability for Week 13 unknown. These designations were published for Week 8's games. They are the latest available report, kept as dated context; they do not say who will be available in Week 13.
CAR
| Corey Bullock | Questionable | Bullock (quadriceps) exited Thursday's 27-19 loss to Green Bay and did not return, Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340 reports. |
| Will Lee III | Questionable | Lee is dealing with a hamstring injury and is doubtful to return to Thursday's Week 8 matchup against Green Bay, Joe Person of The Athletic reports. |
| Akayleb Evans | Injured Reserve | Evans (triceps) was placed on injured reserve by the Panthers on Thursday, Darin Gantt of the team's official website reports. |
| Bobby Brown III | Out | Brown (hand) is inactive for Thursday night's matchup against the Packers, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official website reports. |
| Haynes King | Out | King (coach's decision) is inactive but operating as the Panthers' emergency No. 3 quarterback against the Packers on Thursday night, Darin Gantt of the team's official website reports. |
| Ja'Tavion Sanders | Out | Sanders (coach's decision) is inactive for Thursday night's matchup with Green Bay, Darin Gantt of the team's official website reports. |
| AJ Dillon | Out | Dillon (coach's decision) is inactive for Thursday night's contest against the Packers, Darin Gantt of the team's official website reports. |
| Torricelli Simpkins III | Out | Simpkins (ankle) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Packers. |
| Damien Lewis | Out | Lewis (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Packers. |
| Jaelan Phillips | Out | Phillips (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday night's game against the Packers. |
| Taylor Moton | Injured Reserve | The Panthers placed Moton (lower leg) on injured reserve Monday. |
| Ryan Fitzgerald | Active | Fitzgerald made both field-goal attempts and converted his only extra-point try in Thursday's 27-19 loss to Green Bay. |
| Jalen Coker | Active | Coker secured two of five targets for 37 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers' 27-19 loss to the Packers on Thursday. He also lost a fumble. |
| Bryce Young | Active | Young completed 23 of 41 passes for 209 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the Panthers' 27-19 loss to the Packers on Thursday. |
| Chuba Hubbard | Active | Hubbard rushed 22 times for 81 yards and a touchdown and brought in seven of eight targets for 38 yards in the Panthers' 27-19 loss to the Packers on Thursday. |
| Tetairoa McMillan | Active | McMillan brought in six of 11 targets for 57 yards in the Panthers' 27-19 loss to the Packers on Thursday. |
| Devin Lloyd | Active | Lloyd posted four tackles in Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers. |
| Bobby Okereke | Active | Okereke tallied 10 tackles (seven solo) and a defensed pass in Sunday's loss to Tampa Bay. |
| John Metchie III | Active | Metchie caught two passes for 20 yards during Sunday's 43-13 defeat versus the Buccaneers. |
| Mitchell Evans | Active | Evans gathered in both targets for 39 yards during Sunday's 43-13 loss versus Tampa Bay. |
| Trevor Etienne | Active | Etienne posted six carries for eight yards, reeled in both targets for 17 yards and compiled 69 kickoff-return yards during Sunday's 43-13 defeat to the Buccaneers. |
| Tommy Tremble | Active | Tremble hauled in one of two targets for eight yards during Sunday's 43-13 loss to the Buccaneers. |
| TeRah Edwards | Active | |
| Sam Hecht | Active | |
| Stone Forsythe | Active |
MIN
| Aaron Jones Sr. | Questionable | Jones (knee) was limited at Thursday's practice. |
| Gavin Bartholomew | Questionable | questionable |
| Brian O'Neill | Active | |
| Joe Huber | Active | |
| Blake Cashman | Active | Cashman recorded 12 tackles (8 solo) including 2.0 sacks and four passes defensed during Sunday's 16-10 win versus the Colts. |
| Harrison Smith | Active | Smith recorded four tackles (two solo) including 0.5 sacks and an interception during Sunday's 16-10 win versus the Colts. |
| Elijah Williams | Active | |
| Demond Claiborne | Active | |
| Caleb Tiernan | Active | |
| Charles Demmings | Active | |
| Jakobe Thomas | Active | |
| Max Brosmer | Active | |
| Jauan Jennings | Active | Jennings caught two of three targets for 34 yards in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Colts. |
| T.J. Hockenson | Active | Hockenson caught four of five targets for 35 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Colts. |
| Jordan Addison | Active | Addison caught two of three targets for 20 yards in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Colts. He added three yards on his lone carry. |
| Jordan Mason | Active | Mason carried the ball 15 times for 68 yards in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Colts. He failed to catch either of his two targets. |
| Kyler Murray | Active | Murray completed 14 of 24 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Colts. He added 39 rushing yards on five carries. |
| Justin Jefferson | Active | Jefferson caught four of seven targets for 44 yards in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Colts. |
| Will Reichard | Active | Reichard went 3-for-4 on field-goal attempts and made his only PAT during Sunday's 16-10 win over the Colts. |
| Myles Price | Active | Price (head) was back on the field for the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Colts, Ben Goessling of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports. |
| Christian Darrisaw | Active | Darrisaw (concussion) does not have any injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Colts, Craig Peters of the Vikings' official site reports. |
| James Pierre | Active | |
| Michael Jurgens | Active | Jurgens (elbow) is active for Sunday's game against the Saints, Craig Peters of the Vikings' official site reports. |
| Ben Yurosek | Active | Yurosek (ankle) is listed as active for Sunday's game against the Saints, Craig Peters of the Vikings' official site reports. |
| Brett Thorson | Active | Thorson (hamstring) was a full participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday. |
Labels: Out = confirmed unavailable; Doubtful = projected unavailable; Questionable = projected uncertain.
n/a — indoor venue
Travel (CAR): ~938 miles, 1h time-zone shift west