Falcons-Panthers final score predictions

It may be dangerous to feel any real confidence in the Atlanta Falcons after the last six years, but after the last few weeks, it’s hard not to feel pretty good about the team’s direction. This is especially true when a really injured, shaky opponent is next on the list.

Will this result in an away win for the Falcons? Adnan Ikic and I have made our predictions for today, and then we welcome yours.

Falcons 27 – Panthers 17

Look at this matchup from any angle and you’ll be hard-pressed to find an area where the Panthers are superior to the Falcons. They may be about equally good against the run and slightly better at forcing the occasional turnover, but in every other way the Panthers are worse. What we all fear is that the Falcons will fall flat, make a lot of mistakes, or both.

I think a team that has shown some real signs of improvement and has learned from the mistakes of the past, and is now having by far their most direct matchup of the season, with a humming passing game, clear improvement achievable, and a favorable matchup for the ground game, and a weak offense for this scrappy defense. I don’t think it will be one-sided, and I doubt it will all be pretty, but the Falcons should win this game, and win it by two points. -Dave Choate

Falcons 31 – Panthers 14

I understand that this is an away divisional game and that anything can happen when two NFC South teams meet. I understand the fears of fully trusting the Falcons not to downplay their competition when they’ve made that not just a habit but even an identity over the last seven years, but this is the moment This Atlanta team will prove different to previous interpretations that have failed us over the years.

The Panthers may be the worst team in football. They are on a string of disappointing 1-4 teams and have by far the worst net point differential in the league, having lost by two or more points in all four of their losses. Atlanta is currently in full swing and has had three additional days of rest. I expect the offense to pick up where it left off in Week 5 and for the defense to suffocate Carolina for the most part. This shouldn’t even be close. –Adnan Ikic