Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons Week 1 Betting Pick

Carolina Panthers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) vs. Atlanta Falcons (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS)

NFL Football Week 1

Date/Time: Sunday September 10th, 2023. 1:00PM (EST)

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, GA

TV: FOX

Betting Odds:

Point Spread: CAR +2/ATL -2 (Win NOW with a 100% real cash bonus!)

Total: 40

The opening weekend in the NFL will have a vast array of intriguing match-ups and different storylines with questions to be answered. One of the more interesting openers surrounds an NFC South showdown between the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, who will meet inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Both the Panthers and the Falcons are attempting to turn their organizations around. Head Coach Arthur Smith needs to take a step forward after back-to-back 7-10 SU seasons. Meanwhile, the Panthers are turning the page to the Frank Reich era after several years of disappointment.

Perhaps the biggest storyline going into this specific Week 1 opener is the interest around the young guys in this game. While we know both coaches are trying to right the ship, the Panthers will be turning to rookie quarterback Bryce Young, who they believe will be the face of the franchise in years to come. Carolina has dealt with multiple awful quarterback situations in the last few years and is looking to find some stability on the offensive side of the football. Likewise, Atlanta is hoping to revitalize their offense with another highly touted rookie in the likes of running back Bijan Robinson, who the Falcons took in the 1st round of the NFL Draft at the 8th overall pick. The Falcons offense has been centered around the running attack under Arthur Smith, and many believe Robinson is the type of talent that can take this offense to the next level. Needless to say, there are a lot of questions that await to be answered for both of these offenses going into the season!

Are the Panthers an early season fade?

While the Panthers look to get Bryce Young’s feet wet, I would still point out that Young’s talent is severely lacking in the skill positions around him. The Panthers traded former star RB Christian McCaffrey away mid-season in 2022, and former WR1 DJ Moore is now in Chicago. The Panthers brought in RB Miles Sanders from Philadelphia following the most successful season of his career. Sanders racked up 1,269 yards with 11 touchdowns last season, but that was also behind the best offensive line in the NFL. This season, Sanders will not have the luxury of gaping holes with every touch of the football, and defenses are likely to focus on the run to put Young into throwing situations.

While the Panthers’ defense should be pretty solid, I am just not convinced they are going to get any help from the offense, especially early in the season. QB Bryce Young is going to need some time before he is performing at a high level. Perhaps most importantly, the Panthers do not have any stars in the receiving corps. The group is composed of journeymen, including an aging Adam Theilen, DJ Chark, and rookie Jonathan Mingo. Needless to say, I’m expecting struggles for this offense for most of the season, especially in the opening weeks of the season with so much inexperience and lack of go-to guys in Reich’s new system.

Trusting the Falcons in Week 1

The Falcons did not exactly set the world on fire in 2022 on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Atlanta ranked 24th in total offense, averaging just 318 yards per game. However, Atlanta did maximize their scoring opportunities with a much higher rank (15th) in scoring, averaging nearly 22 points per game. All of those numbers were the product of a shaky quarterback situation, an inefficient passing attack, and a running game by committee. For this year, 2nd year QB Desmond Ridder moves into the starting role after taking over the final four games of the 2022 season. Ridder flashed some promising signs in his few starts last year, and most importantly, he protected the football.

Personally, I’m expecting this passing offense to be better with Ridder behind center. WR Drake London was a reliable target with Ridder under center, and TE Kyle Pitts is healthy after returning from an MCL injury at the end of last year. With those things in mind, the Falcons finally have a workhorse tailback in rookie Bijan Robinson, who is expected to carry a heavy load this year. The running schemes and attack that this offense runs are successful. Therefore, I expect Robinson to live up to the expectations. With a solid running game and emerging young talents at the skill positions, Atlanta has all the ingredients to take a step forward immediately on the offensive side of the football.

Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons Betting Trends

• Carolina is 6-2 ATS in the last eight games
• Carolina is 4-2 SU in the last six games
• Carolina has hit the “over” in 4 of the last five games
• Carolina is 6-1 ATS in the last seven games against NFC opponents
• Carolina is 2-10 SU in the last 12 games on the road
• Atlanta is 3-8 ATS in the last 11 games
• Atlanta is 3-6 SU in the last nine games
• Atlanta has hit the “under” in 5 of the last six games
• Atlanta is 10-5 ATS in the last 15 games against Carolina
• The “under” has cashed in 14 of the last 20 games between Carolina and Atlanta

Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons Betting Prediction

I think the betting total for this game has been set correctly at a modest 40 points. Both offenses have serious concerns, and I expect this to be a defensive-oriented game. However, I still like the weapons that the Falcons have and the experience to succeed right out of the gates. I’m not confident in anything Carolina has to work with; therefore, let’s ride with the home team that has covered at a high rate in this division rivalry!
Jay’s Pick: Take Atlanta -2