The Atlanta Falcons play host to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in a crucial NFC South showdown from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Panthers stunned the football world by springing the upset of the Buccs last week, while the Falcons dropped their own game, serving to only make the division standings even more crowded. Last year, the two split the season series, while the Falcons have won seven of the last ten meetings overall between the two teams. This expects to be a tightly contested matchup between two rivals and is one that fans won't want to miss.
After a wild few weeks that saw their head coach fired and their star running back traded away, the Panthers stunned many last week. Coming in as double-digit underdogs to Tampa Bay, they not only covered but won outright by 18 points. With that being only their second win of the season, this team still has quite a bit of ground to catch up but it doesn't hurt that the NFC South has been one of the most underperforming divisions in the league this season. Considering they'll be seeing the Falcons again in just a few weeks, this group would love nothing more than to set the tone in this initial matchup.
The Panthers continue to have one of the longest injury reports in the NFL and that could haunt them in this one. Quarterback remains the biggest concern, with Sam Darnold (ankle) and Matt Corral (foot_ both having been ruled out. That means all eyes turn to Baker Mayfield (ankle), who is probable to make a retu rn. The defense has a handful of starters carrying designations into the weekend as well, which would be difficult for this group to overcome.
Depth at CB has been coming in handy. https://t.co/nBQlfS2VOq
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) October 27, 2022
The Panthers are hoping that the return of Mayfield into the fold might somehow energize this offense. They come into this one ranked last in the league when it comes to total yards and while the ground game looked impressive last weekend, it remains to be seen if they can replicate that success. The Falcons have been stout against the run and with Carolina hesitant to find much success through the air, it could be a return to some struggles for this group.
On the defensive side, they'll need to find a way to stop the Falcons on the ground, or else their inability to control the clock could be problematic. Overall, the Panthers have been average in the league when it comes to stopping both the run and the pass, though Atlanta's attack is likely to pose some unique problems. Shaq Thompson (46 tackles) has been instrumental in the middle of the field but with the injuries moutning, it remains to be seem of their depth will be up t o task in this one.
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