This week’s NFL round gets underway on Thursday night as the Falcons make the trip to a struggling Panthers side that have won just twice this season.
Our NFL expert Mark Brown has been looking into the game to bring you a tidy-looking 10/1 Bet Builder!
Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers Bet Builder
Atlanta Falcons to Win
Atlanta has dominated this division rivalry in recent times, winning eight of the last ten matchups, the most recent of which came just two weeks ago in the Mercedes Benz Stadium, the home-team Falcons triumphing in overtime following a wild fourth quarter.
The strength of the Panthers is their pass defense, which is fortunate for the Falcons as they don’t like to pass the ball much, instead relying on a strong stable of running backs and a dual-threat QB in Marcus Mariota to wear down defenses.
Just four days after being humiliated by Joe Mixon (153 yards and 4 TDs on the ground), this could prove a tough matchup for the Panthers, a team with uncertainty at both QB and multiple coaching positions, especially with the forecast rain meaning the team with the stronger ground game could be at an advantage.
Under 49.5 Alternate Total Points
These two combined for a whopping 71 points in their Week 8 clash, with only three of those points coming in the additional overtime period. That game was played in the serene conditions of the Mercedes Benz Stadium, though, and with rain forecast in Charlotte, scoring is unlikely to be as frequent this time, especially on a short week. We’ll tease the number up to 49.5 and take the under.
Cordarrelle Patterson 40+ Alternate Rushing Yards and Anytime Touchdown Scorer
As mentioned above, the Panthers have had trouble stopping the run, giving up an average of 139.3 yards per game (fifth-worst in the league). The Falcons, meanwhile, like to pound the rock and, although rookie fifth-round pick Tyler Allgeier has made a name for himself, there’s no doubting Cordarrelle Patterson, who returned from injury on Sunday, remains the main main, especially in the red zone where he has a nose for six points. With rain forecast and the Falcons likely to run plenty, we’ll take him to get at least 40 yards and a touchdown.
Marcus Mariota Under 162.5 Passing Yards
Mariota has exceeded expectations for the Falcons this season, but is still prone to turnovers and he’s not a natural passer. With rain in the forecast and winds in the low teens forecast, head coach Arthur smith is unlikely to ask him to do more than is required against a respected Panthers pass defense, with him failing to top 147 yards in five of his last six starts, instead relying on a strong ground game.
Terrace Marshall Jr 25+ Alternate Receiving Yards
Although the threat of rain is likely to make it more difficult for passers, it’s easy to picture a scenario in which the Panthers are chasing in this game, and they’ll have to throw it some. Marshall has really come on in recent weeks, seeing an increased role and going for 87 yards against the Falcons in Week 8 and 53 yards and a TD when chasing the game against the Bengals just four days ago. He can clear his alternative yards mark of 25 here.
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