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Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons Staff Predictions

By Christian Candeloro

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 24: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers warms up prior the game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 24, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 24: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers warms up prior the game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 24, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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Can the Panthers reverse their fortunes and beat the Falcons?

Heading into the Panthers match-up with the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on November 10th, Carolina sat at 5-3 and very much alive in the playoff race. No one expected the wheels to completely fall off and the team to lose four consecutive to effectively be eliminated from playoff contention. Starting quarterback Kyle Allen regressed horrendously and the defense struggled.

Now at 5-7, the Panthers get a second shot at the Atlanta Falcons, a team that has found its footing since starting 1-7.

Here’s what our staff thinks will transpire today.

Ty Smith (@tysmithnc): Falcons 28, Panthers 17
Carolina’s season was effectively ended by the disastrous loss to Washington last weekend; now the team enters an uncertain future in the wake of Coach Ron Rivera’s firing. Interim coach Perry Fewell’s task is to rally the team together and get them to finish the season out on a high note, but the task will be tough in Atlanta. The Falcons have shown some signs of life, and the team absolutely cleaned the Panthers out in their first meeting. With a new coach and a new direction emerging, the odds are slim that Carolina will avenge its blowout loss to the rival Falcons on Sunday. Look for Christian McCaffrey to continue his assault on the record books; also look for Carolina’s defense to try and improve its shoddy run defense. In the end, the Panthers settle into “draft preservation” mode against Atlanta.

Luke Tucker (@luketucker19_): Falcons 24, Panthers 21

The Panthers as a team don’t have much to play for over the remainder of the season, but one guy in particular does–Christian McCaffrey. With four games to go in the 2019 season, McCaffrey needs 175 yards per game to break the single-season yards from scrimmage record. For him, that’s not out of the question. In what has become a lost season, the Panthers need to find something to work for, and CMC’s pursuit of the record could be the motivating factor over this last month of the season. Carolina will likely go with a heavy dose of McCaffrey on the road in Perry Fewell’s debut as interim head coach. Look for McCaffrey to go wild, but as it’s been all-too often, it won’t be enough as the Panthers lose another close one.

Christian Candeloro (@christiancande3): Falcons 37 Panthers 10

Panthers season is over. Doom and gloom. And that’s all I have to say about that.

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