In 2023, the Atlanta Falcons (6-7; 4-9-0 ATS) and Carolina Panthers (1-12; 2-9-2 ATS) will square off in their final meeting as NFC South rivals. When these teams faced off in Week 1, the Falcons prevailed 24-10. The game is being played at Bank of America Stadium this time, and kickoff is set for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Will the results be the same, or will the Panthers deserve to win again?
Falcons Shared First Place
Atlanta had a fantastic chance to solidify their hold on the NFC South lead last Sunday. Instead, they lost to Tampa Bay by giving up a touchdown with 31 seconds left. The Buccaneers hold the tiebreaker, but the Falcons are currently tied with three other teams for first place in the division. Although there is a chance for a wild-card spot, eight NFC teams are jumbled in that situation.
Atlanta’s defense, which ranks 12th in scoring defense, will attempt to defeat the Panthers once more. The Falcons only give up 5.0 yards per play (10th) and 20.7 points per game. Even with just 26 sacks and 15 takeaways, this group is difficult to beat. They allow 6.6 yards per pass attempt (8th) and 3.9 yards per rush (10th). In Week 1, Atlanta forced the Panthers to only 127 passing yards while picking up three turnovers. Will they once more outclass their competitors?
Atlanta’s offense managed to score 15 points on Sunday and has scored more than 20 points in four of their previous five games. Their average for the year is only 19.3 points per game, though. The Falcons generate the majority of their output on the ground, where they rank sixth in the league with 1,718 yards. With 790 rushing yards, rookie Bijan Robinson is leading the team in rushing. The Falcons gain the 12th-most yards in the NFL with 7.1 yards per pass attempt. To reduce production, their quarterbacks have nevertheless been sacked 36 times and have thrown 10 interceptions. Can Atlanta avoid giving up possession of the ball as they did in their victory in Week 1?
