Who will win Carolina Panthers vs. Falcons matchup? Our predictions, best bets
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
The Carolina Panthers didn’t get off to a great start in Week 1.
Can they get their first win Week 2?
The Panthers (0-1) travel south to Atlanta to play the Falcons (0-1) in Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 1 p.m. Sunday. The game is for first place in the NFC South — a result of all four teams going winless Week 1, despite the division scoring 107 total points.
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There are a few unknowns at play in this rivalry matchup. The Panthers don’t yet know if starting outside linebacker Pat Jones will return from the back injury that kept him sidelined last week. And the Falcons will reportedly start Cooper Rush at quarterback, but with only one game under his belt in Atlanta, it’s not yet clear what he’s capable of in the Kevin Stefanski system.
There are a few knowns, however. A prominent one: Carolina cannot have a defensive performance like it did against the Chicago Bears, a game in which the team allowed 291 rushing yards and gave up 59 points. The Panthers can, however, afford another great day from quarterback Bryce Young, running back Chuba Hubbard and receiver Jalen Coker, who is all cleared and ready to play after practicing through an ankle injury this week.
Meanwhile, the Falcons need to continue feeding running back Bijan Robinson, who finished their 20-13 loss to the Steelers with 29 touches — 21 carries for 83 yards and eight catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.
The ultimate question, though: Who will win?
The Charlotte Observer has provided a one-stop shop for what you need ahead of the matchup, including expert predictions, TV/radio broadcast information and betting odds. Check all that out below.
The game will be televised on FOX again on Sunday. Tim Brando is taking on play-by-play duties, with Matt Millen as the analyst. The sideline reporter for the broadcast is Sarah Kustok.
Here’s how fans can follow on the radio:
According to FanDuel Sportsbook as of Saturday afternoon, the Panthers are 2.5-point favorites against the Falcons. The over/under is at 43.5 total points. Money lines are interesting, too: -142 (Panthers ML); +120 (Falcons ML).
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Here are three prop bets you might find compelling as well:
Panthers beat reporter Alex Zietlow was the only member of The Charlotte Observer’s panel of predictors to write that a loss was coming to Carolina in Week 1. Because of that, he sits in the lead of the standings at 1-0, with Langston Wertz Jr., Scott Fowler and Steve Wiseman at 0-1. Onto this week:
Alex Zietlow: Panthers 31, Falcons 17. The Panthers’ lopsided loss to the Bears has injected some urgency into the program. That, plus some uncertainty at QB on Atlanta’s side, will help propel this Panthers defense with a bounce-back performance, I imagine. Also … Bryce Young was phenomenal last week, and I don’t think that slows down against a Falcons pass rush that’s riddled with question marks. Not a 30-0 showing like a year ago, but a comfortable win.
Scott Fowler: Falcons 23, Panthers 21. No matter who plays QB for the Falcons, their primary job is going to be to hand the ball off to Bijan Robinson. The Panthers aren’t going to suddenly be able to fix a defense that allowed 291 rushing yards, and Robinson is a better back than anybody the Bears have got. He’ll make the difference.
Langston Wertz: Panthers 28, Falcons 20: Was Week 1 bad for the Panthers’ defense? Of course it was. How will defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s group recover? The Panthers will feast on a Falcons team that scored 13 points in Week 1 and could be down to QB3. And lost in that Bears game was how well the Panthers’ offense looked: 37 points, 478 total yards. That will continue in Georgia.
Steve Wiseman: Panthers 33, Falcons 21. OK, I know that is quite the improvement for the Carolina defense. Caleb Williams doesn’t play for Atlanta though. I’m impressed by what the Panthers showed offensively and believe that will continue. Another 100 receiving yards for Coker? Likely.
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