The Atlanta Falcons were unable to make the pilgrimage to the Super Bowl last season. But after being eliminated from postseason contention by the Eagles, the Falcons had an opportunity at revenge in 2018’s opening day. Nevertheless, Atlanta came up short that NFL sports betting evening, looking rather weak in their first outing. Now the Falcons look to right that wrong by picking up a divisional victory over the Carolina Panthers this Sunday. What are the best legal bets to make on this NFC South rivalry?
Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons – Sunday, September 16th
When: 1:00 pm ET
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
TV: Fox
Stream: Fox Sports Go, NFL Game Pass
NFL Sports Betting Odds:
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | +5½ (-110) | 44 (-115) | +192 |  |
| Falcons | -5½ (-110) | 44 (-105) | -230 | |
| ||||
The wait is over. #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/isJYGwXOoH
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 8, 2018
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers opened up their season by facing the Dallas Cowboys at home. The Cowboys were supposed to represent a great challenge but they never really seemed to mount any real threatening attack. Dak Prescott underperformed on the day, racking up just 170 passing yards, zero interceptions and a whopping 6 sacks. Ezekiel Elliott didn’t look like his past self as he was held to just 69 yards by Carolina’s defense. However, the Panthers’ offense didn’t look that dominant either. Newton had just 161 passing yards on the day and no passing touchdowns. Cam did rack up a running touchdown, which turned out to be enough to lead Carolina to a victory. This Sunday, Cam & Co. will be looking to outwork a defense that held the reigning Super Bowl champions to just 245 yards. It’s looking like they’re going to have a tough time winning on the road.
Players to Watch: Cam Newton (161 passing yards, 0 TD, 0 INT), Christian McCaffrey (50 rushing yards, 0 TD, 0 F), and Devin Funchess (41 receiving yards, 0 TD, 3 REC).
Atlanta Falcons
Although it’s Week 2, this is a borderline must win game for Atlanta. The NFC South delivered 3 playoff teams last season. With that in mind, we can anticipate that the running will be extremely tight this year. And since Atlanta kicked the season off with a loss, starting 0-2 against a divisional rival is a nightmare scenario – especially in a division this tight. So what kind of chances do the Falcons have of locking down an NFL sports betting victory? The odds are certainly siding with them and there’s good reason to think they’ll come out on top. For starters, Atlanta is 2-1 in their last 3 matchups against Carolina. On top of that, the Falcons are 4-1 in their last 5 matchups at home. They certainly have the pieces in place to find success against Carolina. But in the end, this one should come down to the wire.
Players to Watch: Matt Ryan (251 passing yards, 0 TD, 1 INT), Devonta Freeman (36 rushing yards, 0 TD, 0 F), and Julio Jones (169 receiving yards, 0 TD, 10 REC).
Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons Betting Predictions
Trends
- The TOTAL has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
- Carolina is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
- Carolina is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
- The TOTAL has gone UNDER in 8 of Atlanta’s last 10 games when playing Carolina
- Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
- Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons Betting Picks
So which side should mobile betting players take in this Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons matchup? All things considered, it’s best to stick with the Falcons here. However, this matchup is close enough that taking the upset odds on Carolina could be very lucrative. Sign up to make your online betting prediction today!
Score Prediction: 28-24 Atlanta.
