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NFC South rivals are meeting for the final time in 2023, with the Atlanta Falcons (6-7; 4-9-0 ATS) on the road to take on the Carolina Panthers (1-12; 2-9-2 ATS). These teams met in Week 1, and the Falcons finished on top 24-10. This time, the game is in Bank of America Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday. Will the outcome be similar, or are the Panthers going to earn their second win?
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Last Sunday, Atlanta had a golden opportunity to strengthen their grasp on the NFC South lead. Instead, they allowed a touchdown with 31 seconds remaining to lose against Tampa Bay. Now, the Falcons are in a three-team tie for first place in the division, although the Buccaneers own the tiebreaker. A wild-card spot is also possible, but eight NFC teams are in that jumbled mess.
Atlanta will try to beat the Panthers again using a defense that's 12th in scoring. The Falcons only allow 20.7 points per game and 5.0 yards per play (10th). Despite only 15 takeaways and 26 sacks, this group is tough to crack. They give up 3.9 yards per rush (10th) and 6.6 yards per pass attempt (8th). Atlanta kept the Panthers to 127 passing yards in Week 1, with three takeaways. Will they dominate their rivals again?
As for Atlanta's offense, they mustered 15 points last Sunday and have exceeded 20 points in four of their past five games. However, for the year, their average is only up to 19.3 points per game. Most of the Falcons' production comes on the ground, where their 1,718 yards are sixth in the league. Rookie Bijan Robinson is pacing the team with 790 rushing yards. The Falcons pick up 7.1 yards per pass attempt, the 12th-most in the NFL. Yet, their quarterbacks have been sacked 36 times and thrown 10 interceptions to minimize output. Can Atlanta avoid turning the ball over like they did in their Week 1 win?