Panthers kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd leads the NFL in touchbacks with 19. Lloyd also has the Panthers second in the NFL in average yards per kickoff, at 68.8. All of this indicates that the Panthers should have better field position.
Falcons placekicker Jason Elam is 21-of-23 in field goal tries on the season, with a long of 50. Panthers placekicker John Kasay is 18-of-19 on field goal attempts, with a long of 50 as well. Both kickers are perfect on extra points. Carolina should have a slight edge if the game comes down to a last-second field goal.
Carolina punter Jason Baker averages 6.2 yards per punt more than Atlanta punter Michael Koenen, his long is three yards better, and he has landed one more punt inside the 20. This also foreshadows a possible advantage for the Carolina in field position.
The Panthers are 2-2 on the road this season. They've beaten the Raiders and Chargers, but lost to the Vikings and Buccaneers.
The Falcons are 4-1 at home. But only one of Atlanta's opponents at the Georgia Dome has a record of .500 or better—the Broncos, at 6-4.
For the first time in an eternity, every single Panthers player is healthy and should play.
The fact that the Falcons are 4-1 at home is mostly misleading because of their strength of schedule. The Panthers' strengths match up well with the Falcons' weaknesses, but not the other way around. The Panthers should win, against all "odds".
Series facts
The Panthers lead the all-time series, 3-2.
The Panthers have scored 80 points, the Falcons 72.
The Panthers have 83 first downs, the Falcons 82.
The Panthers have gained 1358 yards, the Falcons 1549 yards.
The Panthers' time of possession is 31:41, the Falcons' 28:19.
The Panthers are perfect on field goal tries, the Falcons are 10-of-12.
We're going to send you the most entertaining Carolina Panthers articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
11 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete