The Atlanta Falcons have become one of the most unpredictable teams in the NFL this season, yet the analysts at ESPN are in agreement regarding their matchup against the Carolina Panthers this week.
In their previous encounter during Week 3, the Falcons entered as favorites but were stunned by a 30-0 defeat at the hands of the then winless Panthers. Following that loss, Carolina struggled further, dropping to 1-3 after another defeat. However, they have since turned their fortunes around, winning four out of their last six games to improve to 4-2.
On the other hand, Atlanta managed to bounce back with victories over the Washington Commanders and the Buffalo Bills on national television. Nevertheless, they subsequently faced a disappointing four-game losing streak, bringing their record to 3-6. Many are now wondering what lies ahead for the Falcons.
This Sunday, the Falcons are again favored, and once more, ESPN”s panel of experts is unanimous in their predictions for this week”s game. NFL reporter Pamela Maldonado, fantasy analyst Eric Moody, and analytics writer Seth Walder all foresee a Falcons victory over the Panthers in Carolina.
The unusual aspect of this situation is that the Falcons are favored against a team with a superior record that previously dominated them. Despite the talent on the Falcons roster, they have consistently found ways to lose close games, which has been evident in their last two outings. Atlanta has struggled significantly on third downs, converting just three out of twenty-nine attempts over their last three games. For context, the Tennessee Titans currently rank as the worst team in the NFL for third-down conversions.
Meanwhile, the Panthers sit at 28th in scoring offense, just behind the Falcons. However, they have shown proficiency in their rushing attack, averaging 133.1 yards per game, which ranks 8th in the league. Conversely, the Falcons” rush defense has slipped to 29th nationally after allowing a franchise-worst 323 yards in a recent game against the Indianapolis Colts.
In a bold assertion, Walder predicts that Panthers quarterback Bryce Young will struggle against Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell. “Terrell has impressive coverage metrics this season, allowing only 0.5 yards per coverage snap and a mere 9% target rate,” he noted.
This analysis sets the stage for an intriguing matchup as the Panthers aim to sweep the Falcons this season.
