The Carolina Panthers are set to clash with the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET. This NFC South matchup promises to be an exciting encounter for fans.
The Falcons enter the game as 8.5-point favorites, with a total points projection of 48.
Carolina (4-12 SU, 7-9 ATS, 12-4 O/U) suffered a heavy loss against Tampa Bay last weekend, finishing 48-14. The Panthers have struggled recently, recording only one win in their last five games.
Atlanta (8-8 SU, 6-9-1 ATS, 6-10 O/U) faced a heartbreaking 30-24 overtime defeat against Washington. The Falcons have also struggled, with a 2-3 record in their last five games.
In their previous encounter on October 13, Atlanta defeated Carolina decisively, 38-20. Historically, the Falcons have a slight edge, winning 6 of the last 10 matchups, with the under hitting in six of those games.
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Curious about who will emerge victorious in this NFL showdown? Check out our detailed prediction for the Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons!
Carolina’s Call for Improvement
The Panthers’ recent performance against Tampa Bay highlighted their struggles, as they were held scoreless in the second half. The Buccaneers converted 10 of 14 third downs and amassed 551 total yards, while Carolina managed just 204 yards and converted only 2 of 10 crucial downs.
“We have one more opportunity to finish,” said Panthers coach Dave Canales. “We need to regroup and show the discipline to work hard and finish this season strong.”
Quarterback Bryce Young leads the Panthers with 2,152 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, completing 59.7% of his throws at an average of 6.1 yards per attempt. His primary targets include wide receivers Adam Thielen (43 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns) and Xavier Legette (46 catches for 467 yards and four touchdowns). Although the Panthers will miss leading rusher Chubba Hubbard (1,195 yards, 10 touchdowns), veteran Miles Sanders has returned to practice, giving Carolina hope for a more dynamic run game.
The Panthers currently average 18.6 points (25th in the league) and 290.1 total yards (31st), with a passing average of 182.4 yards (31st) and rushing average of 107.7 yards (20th). On defense, they allow an alarming 31.0 points (32nd) and 396.3 total yards (32nd) per game.
Injury Report for the Panthers: RB Chubba Hubbard (calf/knee) and OT Taylor Moton (knee) are out. OG Robert Hunt (shoulder), OG Cade Mays (illness), CB Jaycee Horn (hip), LB Josey Jewell (concussion), and DE A’Shawn Robinson (neck) are questionable for Sunday’s game against the Falcons.
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Falcons Eyeing Playoff Hopes
The Falcons faced a heartbreaking overtime loss to Washington last Saturday. Kicker Riley Patterson’s 56-yard field goal attempt fell short in regulation, allowing the Commanders to score a game-winning touchdown in overtime. Rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. completed 19 of 35 passes for 223 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in his second start. Running back Bijan Robinson contributed significantly, rushing for 90 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, but the team struggled on third downs, converting just 2 of 10.
“Control what you can control,” said Falcons coach Raheem Morris. “Winning our game is our focus. Everything else is out of our hands.”
Penix Jr. took over as the starting quarterback two games ago and has thrown for 425 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, completing 59.6% of his passes. His top receiving targets are WR Drake London (90 receptions for 1,084 yards, seven touchdowns) and WR Darnell Mooney (64 receptions for 992 yards, five touchdowns). The Falcons’ rushing attack is led by Robinson (1,286 yards, 12 touchdowns) and Tyler Allgeier (592 yards, three touchdowns).
Atlanta averages 21.9 points (16th) and 359.4 total yards (10th) per game, with 234.9 passing yards (8th) and 124.5 rushing yards (12th). Their defense allows 23.7 points (20th) and 340.2 total yards (19th) per game.
Injury Report for the Falcons: DL David Onyemata (shoulder), OL Matthew Bergeron (hand), CB Dee Alford (groin), LB Lorenzo Carter (oblique), and LB JD Bertrand (eye) are questionable for Sunday’s contest against the Panthers.
Key Predictions for Panthers vs. Falcons
