The undefeated Carolina Panthers (12-0) play the Atlanta Falcons (6-6) this week. This game will feature the NFL’s third-leading rusher, Jonathan Stewart (914 yards, 5 TDs), and top receiver, Julio Jones (1,338 yards, 6 TDs). It will begin Sunday, Dec 13 at 1:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on FOX.
After splitting their two regular season meetings last year, the division rivals will face off for the first time this season. Roman Harper led the Panthers defense in the last game against the Falcons, registering six tackles and one interception. Kemal Ishmael led the Atlanta defense, totaling seven tackles.
The Panthers, a six-point favorite, will be looking to defend their home field when Atlanta visits. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is 47 points.
Heading into Week 14 of league action, the Panthers are 12-0 Straight Up (SU) and 9-3 Against The Spread (ATS). Carolina has seen an increase in scoring in recent weeks when compared to its 31.1 points per game average. Over the past five games they’ve averaged 36 points per game. The Panthers rush 34.4 times per game, which is the most in the NFL. Turning to the Panthers defense, a few key spots could be deciding factors this week. The Falcons may have a difficult time running against the Panthers’ second-ranked run defense who have given up 87.2 rushing yards per game. One of the keys to the game will be if the Falcons can avoid turning the ball over against the Panthers, whose defense leads the league with 2.4 turnovers per game. Keep an eye on Carolina to pick it up during the second quarter, when it averages a league-best 10.2 points per game. Mistakes could completely alter the game in favor of the Panthers this week, as Atlanta is among the most penalized teams in the NFL. This season, the Falcons have recorded 68 penalty yards per game.
As for their opponent, the Falcons have a record of 4-8 ATS and 6-6 SU. Atlanta has stumbled in its last five games, putting up 0-5 SU and ATS records. If earlier games are a sign of the future, the Falcons will throw the ball frequently on offense. They average 280 passing yards per road game, good enough for fifth in the NFL. Shifting to the other side of the ball, the Atlanta defense could excel if they take advantage of favorable matchups. The secondary of the Falcons will be looking to shut down the weak passing attack of the Panthers, which ranks 27th in the league with an average of 219.2 passing yards per game.
Predictions: SU Winner – Car, ATS Winner – Car, O/U – Over
Notes
Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Carolina’s last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Carolina’s last 5 games at home.
Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home.
Carolina is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina’s last 5 games when playing Atlanta.
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Carolina’s last 20 games when playing at home against Atlanta.
Atlanta is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Carolina.
Atlanta is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Carolina.
Atlanta is 3-1 SU when leading at the start of the fourth quarter this season. Carolina is 11-0 SU when carrying a lead into the fourth quarter.
Carolina is undefeated (3-0 SU) in games where it wins the turnover battle.
Since the start of last season, Carolina is 7-2 SU against NFC South opponents, while Atlanta is 5-4 SU against divisional foes.
Carolina is rated higher in the ground game on both sides of the ball. Its third-ranked rushing attack will face the 12th-ranked run defense of Atlanta, while its second-ranked run defense will look to contain the 16th-ranked rushing game of the Falcons.
