Carolina @ Atlanta preview
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Last Meeting ( Dec 31, 2017 ) Carolina 10, Atlanta 22
Matt Ryan has carved up the Carolina Panthers in recent years, and the Atlanta Falcons hope that trend holds when they host their NFC South rivals on Sunday. The Falcons have won four of the last five meetings and haven’t lost to the Panthers at home since 2014.
Ryan has averaged 343.2 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in the last five games of the all-time series, and the Falcons need another big effort from him to avoid an 0-2 start. The Panthers are attempting to begin with a 2-0 record for the fourth time in five seasons. “We know they’re going to be fired up. Well, we’re going to be fired up,” Carolina safety Da’Norris Searcy told the team’s official website. “It’s going to be a clash of some pretty big heavyweights – Battle of the South. Divisional opponent. It’s going to be good.” It’s an annual homecoming for Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, a native of nearby College Park, Ga. who has accounted for 25 touchdowns (18 passing, seven rushing) in 14 career games against his hometown team.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Falcons -6. O/U: 44.5
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (1-0): Carolina has some issues on offense, as evidenced by the fact Newton was the team’s leading rusher and running back Christian McCaffrey was the leading receiver in the season-opening 16-8 win over Dallas. Now the offense will be without one of Newton’s most reliable targets in tight end Greg Olsen due to a broken foot. The Panthers will have to lean on a defense that was dominant against the Cowboys and has gone an NFL-best 21 games without allowing a 100-yard rusher after limiting Ezekiel Elliott to 69 yards on 15 carries.
ABOUT THE FALCONS (0-1): Atlanta was too one-dimensional on offense in an 18-12 loss at Philadelphia on opening night, as Julio Jones caught 10 passes for 169 yards but no one else did much of note. Running back Devonta Freeman was off to a good start before leaving with a knee injury and is questionable for Sunday. The defense had a solid debut but lost two key players in Week 1, as Pro Bowl safety Keanu Neal (knee) and Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones (foot) both were placed on injured reserve this week.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Newton has rushed for at least 50 yards in six consecutive games.
2. Falcons LB Vic Beasley Jr. has registered four sacks and a forced fumble in six games against Carolina, including at least one sack in each of the last two meetings.
3. Panthers LB Luke Kuechly has recorded at least eight tackles in 12 consecutive games against division opponents.
PREDICTION: Falcons 20, Panthers 17