Falcons at Panthers: Preview, prediction, odds and pick

The Carolina Panthers will host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday afternoon in Week 9. Here is the game preview, the betting odds and a final score prediction.

We’ve got a great division rivalry game on tap for your enjoyment this week on FOX. It will be between NFC South foes in the Atlanta Falcons (4-3) and the Carolina Panthers (5-3). Kickoff from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte will be at 1:00 p.m. ET on Nov. 5. This will be the featured early afternoon game on FOX with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman in the booth to call it.

Atlanta enters play at 4-3 on the year. The Falcons started hot with three wins right out of the gate. Then they cooled off considerably after Atlanta dropped three straight games to AFC East opponents. Atlanta was finally able to get back into the win column by winning a wet one in the rain last week over the New York Jets to get to 4-3 on the season.

Carolina enters play at 5-3 on the year. The Panthers seem to have found themselves in some capacity after a lost 2016 NFL season. Though Carolina isn’t on par with the 15-1 NFC Championship team of two years ago, the Panthers are more than capable of winning the division for the fourth time in five years. In a worst-case scenario, they can compete until the final week for a playoff spot.

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Carolina -1.5
Moneylines: Carolina -120, Atlanta +105
Over/Under: 43.5

According to OddsShark, the Panthers will be laying 1.5 points at home to the visiting Falcons. The associated moneylines for this game are Carolina -120 and Atlanta +105. This game’s over/under comes in at a combined 43.5 points.

These two teams do not like each other. Typically, we have seen these two rivals rout each other in their last several meetings. However, this will not be the case. Carolina is not efficient enough in the ground game to wear down the Atlanta defense. Conversely, Atlanta isn’t fluid enough in the passing game to blow out Carolina in Charlotte.

What we are likely to see is finally a good competitive game between these two foes. Turnovers will not be part of this game. Both teams will find the end zone at least twice. The difference will be Matt Ryan’s accuracy inside of the red zone over Cam Newton’s lack thereof.

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Atlanta will find pay dirt a third time, while Carolina will have to settle for an extra Graham Gano field that it didn’t really want. The Falcons win on a Matt Bryant field goal as time expires. Atlanta wins and covers. The point total goes over before Bryant attempts the game-winning field goal.

Prediction: Atlanta 24, Carolina 23