The Panthers (0-1) and the Falcons (0-1) are each in search of their first win of the season as the two prepare to face each other Sunday in Atlanta. Wins in the NFC South are scarce. In fact, not one of the teams in the division won on opening weekend. Thus, this divisional game carries added weight.
Carolina moved the ball on offense with ease for much of last SundayâÂÂs tilt against the Bears, but their defense could not stop Caleb Williams and what sure seemed to be a lethal Chicago offense in a 59-37 loss. It was the highest-scoring season opener in NFL history. The Bears piled up 59 points and 552 total yards, including 291 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. As noted, the Panthersâ offense was good. Bryce Young delivered one of the best performances of his NFL career, throwing for 361 yards and three touchdowns while adding a score on the ground. The Panthers accumulated 478 total yards themselves. The game was competitive into the third quarter. Carolina tied the score at 31-31 before ChicagoâÂÂs run game simply wore down CarolinaâÂÂs defense and scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions.
Atlanta entered Week 1 without either of their top signal-callers as Michael Penix Jr. remains sidelined (knee) and his backup, Tua Tagovailoa was hurt late in the week at practice. That forced Cooper Rush into the lineup. The Falcons actually struck first and stayed within one score throughout much of the afternoon, ultimately losing 20-13. PittsburghâÂÂs defense consistently pressured Rush, recording four sacks. The turning point came in the fourth quarter when T.J. Watt intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. AtlantaâÂÂs brightest offensive star was clearly Bijan Robinson, who carried the offense both on the ground and through the air. He produced 173 total yards from scrimmage and accounted for the Falconsâ lone touchdown.
Key storylines for this week include AtlantaâÂÂs uncertainty under center and subsequently, their search for offense. One of the gameâÂÂs top weapons is in their backfield and even with Bijan Robinson, the Falcons crossed the goal line just once last Sunday. Another is the continued development of the quarterback in Carolina. It has taken some time, but after leading the Panthers to the playoffs last season and keeping in mind the numbers he put up last weekend, Bryce Young may in fact be developing into a franchise quarterback. A third certainly is the Carolina defense. How many yards will Bijan run for against an outfit that allowed nearly 300 yards on the ground last Sunday?
LetâÂÂs dive into the numbers and see if we canâÂÂt find an additional sweat or two.
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Game details and how to watch Panthers vs. Falcons
- Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026
- Time: 1:00PM ET
- Site: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- City: Atlanta, GA
- TV/Streaming: FOX
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Latest Game Odds for Panthers vs. Falcons
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Carolina Panthers (-155), Atlanta Falcons (+130)
- Spread: Panthers -2.5
- Total: 43.5
This game opened with the Falcons actually favored by 1.5 points but uncertainty at quarterback has pushed Carolina into the role of the favorite. The Total remains right where it opened.
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Expert picks & predictions: Panthers vs. Falcons
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NFL calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, betting trends, and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for SundayâÂÂs game between the Panthers and the Falcons:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports is leaning towards a play on Carolina on the Moneyline
- Spread: NBC Sports is leaning towards a play on the Panthers -2.5.
- Total: NBC Sports is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 43.5.
Over the last 5 years, these teams have combined to score an average of 47 points per game against each other. Add in the fact both of these teams were exposed defensively last week and there are flashing lights telling us to expect points.
Bottom Line: In a game with two struggling defenses, two offenses with genuine playmakers, and a quarterback situation that can only improve for Atlanta no matter who steps under center, this has all the makings of a higher-scoring, back-and-forth affair.
Panthers vs. Falcons: Betting Trends and Stats
- The Panthers are 1-0 against the spread this season
- The Falcons are 0-1 against the spread this season
- Carolina is 1-0 to the OVER this season
- Atlanta is 0-1 to the OVER this season
Quarterback matchup: Panthers vs. Falcons
- Carolina: Bryce Young
2026 Statistics: 1GP, 361 Passing Yards, 3 TDs, 1 INTs, 110.3 RTG - Atlanta: Cooper Rush
2026 Statistics: 1GP, 143 Passing Yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, 51.9 RTG
Panthers vs. Falcons: Top Playmakers
Panthers
- RB Chuba Hubbard
2026 Statistics: 1GP, 10 carries for 49 Yds, 1 TD / 3 receptions on 3 targets for 38 Yds, 1 TD - WR Jalen Coker
2026 Statistics: 1GP, 8 receptions on 9 targets for 138 Yds, 2 TDs - WR Tetairoa McMillan
2026 Statistics: 1GP, 5 receptions on 8 targets for 75 Yds, 0 TDs
Falcons
- RB Bijan Robinson
2026 Statistics: 1GP, 21 carries for 83 Yds, 0 TDs / 8 receptions on 10 targets for 90 Yds, 1 TD - WR Drake London
2026 Statistics: 1GP, 2 receptions on 5 targets for 29 Yds, 0 TDs - WR Jahan Dotson
2026 Statistics: 1GP, 1 receptions on 4 targets for 19 Yds, 0 TDs
Panthers vs. Falcons: Injury Update
Panthers
- DT DaâÂÂShawn Hand (quad) has been placed on IR and is OUT for SundayâÂÂs game
- CB A.J. Terrell Jr. (shoulder) is listed as questionable for SundayâÂÂs game
- QB Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is listed as questionable for SundayâÂÂs game
- QB Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) is listed as questionable for SundayâÂÂs game
- G Chris Lindstrom (concussion) is listed as questionable for SundayâÂÂs game
Falcons
- WR Jalen Coker (ankle) is listed as questionable for SundayâÂÂs game
- DT Bobby Brown III (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for SundayâÂÂs game
- LB Patrick Jones II (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for SundayâÂÂs game
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