Falcons vs Panthers Picks, Predictions, and Best Bets: Cousins Cruises in Charlotte

With Kirk Cousins coming off his best performance as a member of the Atlanta Falcons, we expect the veteran quarterback's success to continue when he faces an overmatched NFC South rival.

Tom Oldfield - Betting Analyst at Covers.com
Tom Oldfield • Betting Analyst
Oct 13, 2024 • 13:35 ET • 4 min read
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This article contains predictions for an old game!

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The Atlanta Falcons are making their move in the NFC South after back-to-back dramatic wins, and Kirk Cousins & Co. are walking into a favorable matchup against a Carolina Panthers team limping through another nightmare season.

My Falcons vs. Panthers predictions are jumping on the Atlanta bandwagon, with the visitors enjoying a 10-day break since stunning the Bay Buccaneers in overtime last Thursday. Check out my NFL picks for this divisional clash on Sunday, October 13.

Falcons vs Panthers prediction

My best bet
Falcons -6 (-110 at BetMGM)

My analysis

If Kirk Cousins isn’t in a rhythm after his 42-for-58 stat line in Week 5, he never will be. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback carved up the Bucs for 509 passing yards that night — and the visitors have to be salivating at the chance to pick on an overmatched Carolina Panthers defense.

The 1-4 Panthers have given up 165 points through five games so far while allowing 371 yards per outing. That spells trouble with Atlanta bringing a well-rounded offense to Bank of America Stadium, and I’m riding with the Falcons to cover a spread that’s still less than a touchdown. After all, Carolina took an early 7-0 lead in Week 5 against Chicago —yet still lost 36-10.

While Atlanta has benefitted from playing a home-heavy schedule, but I’m taking confidence from the Week 2 road victory against Philadelphia. With Jadeveon Clowney doubtful, I don’t see the Panthers generating much of a pass rush, and that should pave the way for Cousins to go to work in a clean pocket.

Even with the steadier Andy Dalton under center, Carolina enters with a limited offense — just 16.6 points per game in 2024 — and the hosts are 1-6 ATS in their past seven games. This feels like one-way traffic for a Falcons team on the rise.

Falcons vs Panthers same-game parlay

Falcons -6

Chubba Hubbard Over 63.5 rushing yards

Kirk Cousins Over 1.5 passing touchdowns

Silver linings have been hard to find for Carolina this season, but Chubba Hubbard continues to make an impact in the ground game. Hubbard has breezed past this O/U line in his past three outings as the Panthers’ lead back, racking up at least 97 rushing yards in each of them, and he should find running lanes on Sunday against a Falcons defense that’s giving up 148 rushing yards per game.

The Panthers have been willing to establish the run despite falling behind, and I see Hubbard hitting the Over even if Carolina’s second-half game script trends toward the passing game.

I’m also doubling down on a big game for Cousins with the Over on 1.5 passing touchdowns. He tossed four TD passes last time out, and there’s an embarrassment of riches for Atlanta in the red zone, with Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Darnell Mooney capable of exploiting matchups. There’s every chance that the Falcons live in Carolina territory in this game, and Cousins connected with three different receivers for scores in Week 5.

The slumping Panthers have allowed at least two passing touchdowns in every game this season, and I’m wagering on that trend continuing here as things go from bad to worse for the hosts.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

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Falcons vs Panthers odds

Falcons vs Panthers live odds

Falcons vs Panthers opening odds

  • Spread: Atlanta -4.5 | Carolina +4.5
  • Moneyline: Atlanta -210 | Carolina +170
  • Over/Under: Over 46.5 | Under 46.5

Odds courtesy of BetMGM

Falcons vs Panthers spread and Over/Under analysis

  • The Falcons arrive as road favorites and they’ve won six of the last 10 meetings between these teams, including a 24-10 victory last year.
  • Carolina has dropped four straight games at Bank of America Stadium and only covered the spread in one of those contests.
  • The total O/U is set at 47, and the trends point to the Over, which has hit in the Panthers’ past three outings — largely thanks to offenses exploiting their secondary.
  • Atlanta has hit the 1H Over in 13 of its past 21 contests, and Carolina has allowed 70 points over the last two weeks.

Falcons vs Panthers betting trend to know

Atlanta has covered the 1H spread in six of its last 10 road matchups. Find more NFL betting trends for Falcons vs. Panthers.

Falcons vs Panthers game info

Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Date: Sunday, 10-13, 2024
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. ET
TV: FOX

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Tom Oldfield - Covers
Betting Analyst

Tom Oldfield’s sports writing journey over the past 20 years has taken him from the Premier League and Champions League to the NFL, NBA, WNBA and MLB, with a wide range of articles and betting previews. Tom has worked closely with London’s Sportsbeat sports news agency as well as (thrillingly!) covering the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 NBA championship run, and he has appeared on BBC World Service and The Back Page podcast.

A graduate of the University of Nottingham in the UK, he is the author of biographies on Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Nadal, Gary Neville and Cesc Fabregas, and he co-authors a long-running series of children’s soccer books with his brother, Matt.

As a regular bettor across the top sports leagues, particularly with FanDuel and bet365, he is well versed on all the major markets and the next big game is rarely far from his thoughts. The best betting advice he has received is to monitor multiple sportsbooks to grab the best possible value.

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