The Atlanta Falcons snapped their five-game losing skid with a hard-fought 27-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday. The win, though, did not just break their dry spell, but also reignited their chances for a division title in the NFC South. The Falcons take on the second-place Carolina Panthers next in a must-win divisional showdown.
Check out our complete picks and predictions for Week 11 of the 2014 NFL season to satisfy your football cravings. The Sunday Night Football game between the Patriots and Colts promises to be an explosive affair. Read our preview for that game here.
[sc:Football ]Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers Preview
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Carolina
When: Sunday, November 16, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Atlanta Falcons (+1.5) at Carolina Panthers (-1.5); total: 46.0 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback Matt Ryan completed 20 of 31 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown, wide receiver Julio Jones caught eight for 119 yards, running back Steven Jackson rushed for 81 yards and a score, as the Atlanta Falcons kept their NFC South race alive with a victory over the Bucs last Sunday. They’ll need another strong showing when they take on the Panthers next. The Falcons are 0-3 in their last three games against their divisional rivals.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Ryan takes on a Carolina secondary, which has allowed 598 passing yards in back-to-back games against New Orleans and Philadelphia. The Falcons quarterback (throwing for 281 yards per game) may be due for a big game especially with talented playmakers Jones and Roddy White catching his passes.
Jones has been efficient moving the chains with 14 yards per catch this season, while White has scored two touchdowns in his last three games. The duo should be able to exploit Carolina’s pass defense which has allowed 254.4 yards per game and the third-most passing touchdowns (19) in the league.
While Ryan bombards Carolina’s secondary, running back Jackson faces a favorable matchup in the Panthers’ front seven. The Panthers have allowed an average of 4.6 yards per carry as well as the most rushing touchdowns (13) in the league.
On the other side of the field, the Falcons pass rush has looked non-existent prior to picking up four sacks against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Atlanta’s pass rush unit may be able to make a some big plays against a Carolina offensive line which has allowed nine sacks against the Eagles on Monday, and 31 sacks overall in the season.
The total has gone under in the Falcons’ last five games.
Betting on the Carolina Panthers
Playing on the national stage in Monday Night Football, quarterback Cam Newton became the first player to throw three interceptions, lose a fumble and get sacked at least eight times in a game since Tony Banks in 1998 en route to a 45-21 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Panthers are now winless in their last five games.
The Carolina quarterback should have a more favorable matchup against Atlanta’s defense. The Falcons have allowed a league-high 280.8 passing yards per game which may give Newton enough window for deep throws to rookie wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. Benjamin leads the team with nine catches of 20 yards or more.
The Falcons have also struggled in stopping the run as they allow opposing teams to run for four yards per carry and have surrendered a league-high 13 rushing touchdowns thus far this season. If Newton finds a hole in Atlanta’s defensive line, expect him to run roughshod like he did in Cincinnati, where he rushed for 107 yards and a score.
Defensively, the Panthers may have allowed the second-most points per game (28.1) behind only the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they also have the ability to create some timely takeaways. The Panthers have nine interceptions in the season. Strong safety Roman Harper leads the team with three interceptions and should be a threat in the secondary especially after Falcons quarterback Ryan threw five interceptions in his last six games.
The total has gone under in the Panthers’ last five NFC West games dating back to last season.
Writer’s Prediction
The Panthers (-1.5) snap their five-game winless streak as they exploit Atlanta’s sketchy defense. Create a betting account now and join in on the football madness taking the nation by storm.
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