Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers GAMEDAY: How to Watch, Betting Odds
The Atlanta Falcons are back in action today when they visit the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium.
The Falcons, like a few other NFC teams, are fighting for their playoff lives. Atlanta finds itself in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC South with just four games left in the regular season.
“Obviously for everyone to kind of be right there in that bunch, we know that we have everything in front of us,” the Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder said. ”(But) it doesn’t matter about next week, it doesn’t matter about two weeks or what another team does. (It’s about) what we do and what we can do out there on Sunday.”
The Falcons, Tampa Bay and New Orleans are all sitting on top of the South standings at 6-7. But Atlanta has the easiest remaining schedule of the three, starting with the cellar-dweller Carolina Panthers this weekend.
Desmond Ridder and Kyle Pitts (8)
USA Today
Carolina has struggled mightily this year, even with the addition of No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. The Panthers rank near the bottom of almost every important offensive statistical category and have scored under 20 points in each of its last seven contests.
Young has struggled too, and has yet to register a 250-yard passing game. “Having a growth mindset is something that we all talk about and that we all embody,” Young said. “There is obviously a lot of room for improvement so we are eager to go out there and be better.”
After starting the first eight games of the season and then being benched, Ridder is back in the starting role and has nine touchdowns to nine interceptions.
“I’ve had my ups and downs,” Ridder said. “You know, I’ve been able to go out there and play your game. And then obviously, throughout the games, you know, there’s one or two plays in each game where, you know, something goes wrong or there’s a mistake. But then it’s how do you respond? And I feel like, you know, every time that a mistake has happened, I responded the right way.”
WHAT: Atlanta Falcons (6-7, 2-4 Road) at Carolina Panthers (1-12, 1-4 Home)
WHERE: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC (73,778)
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, 1 p.m. ET
TELEVISION: FOX / FuboTV (try it free)
RADIO: WZGC-FM 92.9 The Game
Get your tickets at SI Tickets
Betting via SI SportsBook
SPREAD: Falcons -3.5
TOTAL: 33.5
MONEYLINE: Falcons -161, Panthers +135
