NFL Picks Week 6: Cam Newton and Panthers Will Pick Apart Falcons for Second Win

Anyone who grew up watching Looney Tunes can tell you that cats and birds don't get along too well. The same goes for the NFL, wherein the Carolina Panthers will look to put the clamp on Tweety Bird when they travel to the Georgia Dome to take on the Atlanta Falcons in an NFC South clash.

The Panthers suffered identical 31-10 defeats to the Falcons last season, but are poised to turn the scoreboard around on the Dirty Birds in a big way this season. Rookie sensation Cam Newton has feasted on mediocre secondaries through his first five games—a number that will grow to six against an Atlanta pass defense that ranks 28th in passing yards allowed and has managed only nine sacks so far.

Steve Smith, Newton's favorite target, may not find the sailing quite as smooth as usual when he faces off with All-Pro corner Brent Grimes, though Smith's foot speed should allow him to get open downfield with enough regularity to remain effective.

The real challenge for Carolina will be on the ground on both sides of the ball. The Panthers average 4.7 yards per carry on account of the dynamic duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Carolina offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski will look to establish the run early and go to it often to keep Matt Ryan and the Falcons' aerial attack off the field.

The problem, of course, is Atlanta's run defense, allowing just 3.5 yards per carry and 89.2 yards per game. That's not to say that the Falcons are impenetrable on the ground, but rather that the Panthers' 'backs won't be able to rip off big chunks of yardage quite as easily as they have through the first five weeks.

Run defense isn't exactly the calling card of Ron Rivera's defense in Carolina, either. The Panthers have given up 135.2 yards per game on the ground, placing them 27th in the NFL in that department. Atlanta's ground game isn't exactly overwhelming, but Michael Turner has shown a propensity for productivity when given the opportunity, though his yards-per-carry average has plummeted over the last three games. Rivera must be careful not the crowd the box too often, though, unless he wants his pass defense, albeit a solid one, to get picked apart by Matt Ryan.

The Panthers caught something of a lucky break this week, as Falcons rookie Julio Jones will have to sit with a hamstring injury, but that doesn't necessarily make the task of covering Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez that much easier. Gonzalez, in particular, should be able to take advantage of a linebacking corps that's clearly missed Jon Beason all season.

Where Carolina will really flex its muscle is in the trenches, where its offensive line has done a solid job of protecting Newton, and its defensive front, though lacking in sacks, should be able to bring pressure with the help of some strategic blitzes. The Panthers have kept every game close and will finally pull one out, with Newton leading his team to the game-winning drive to cap a 28-27 thriller.