TNF: Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons 10/29/20 NFL Picks, Odds, Predictions

The Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers meet Thursday in week 8 NFL action at Bank of America Stadium.

The Atlanta Falcons look for their second road win to rebound from a ritual 1-6 start to the NFL season. The Atlanta Falcons have won five of their last seven road games. Matt Ryan is completing 66.4 percent of his passes for 2,181 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. Ryan has one or less touchdown passes in four of his last five games. Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones have combined for 1,062 receiving yards and eight touchdowns while Russell Gage has 31 receptions. The Atlanta Falcons ground game is averaging 105.4 yards per contest, and Todd Gurley II leads the way with 485 yards and seven touchdowns. Defensively, Atlanta is allowing 29.6 points and 425.9 yards per game. Foyesade Oluokun leads the Atlanta Falcons with 49 tackles, Grady Jarrett has 2.5 sacks and Blidi Wreh-Wilson has one interception.

The Carolina Panthers look for a spark of consistency after splitting their last six games. The Carolina Panthers have lost six of their last seven home games. Teddy Bridgewater is completing 72.2 percent of his passes for 1,930 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Bridgewater has two touchdown passes in three of his last four games. Robby Anderson and DJ Moore have combined for 1,207 receiving yards and four touchdowns while Mike Davis has 37 receptions. The Carolina Panthers ground game is averaging 105.4 yards per contest, and Davis leads the way with 284 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Carolina is allowing 24 points and 351.1 yards per game. Shaq Thompson leads the Carolina Panthers with 60 tackles, Brian Burns has three sacks and Donte Jackson has two interceptions.

The Falcons are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Panthers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 home games, 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games as a favorite and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The over is 4-1 in Falcons last 5 road games. The under is 4-1 in Panthers last 5 games overall. The Falcons are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings. The home team is 11-5 ATS in their last 16 meetings.

The Atlanta Falcons continue to blow fourth quarter leads and at this point players have to be ready for the season to be finished. Frustration has to be setting in and confidence can’t be high, and the Falcons remain one of the worst defensive teams in the league, ranked 31st in total yards and passing yards. The Panthers continue to be hit or miss, but one of their three wins this season was a seven-point win on the road against the Falcons and they just took the Saints down to the wire as big underdogs last week. Neither of these clubs are worldbeaters, but the Panthers have no question shown more fight this season and look like a decent team overall. Not sure how anybody backs the Falcons with confidence given the constant collapses. 

I’ll lay the small chalk with the Panthers at home.