Falcons vs. Panthers Game Preview, NFL Odds & Pick for Week 9.

Falcons vs. Panthers Week 9 Game Preview, NFL Odds & Pick

Written by on November 2, 2017

The second half of the NFL season is where all the questions that we have about each team right now get answered. The final weeks of the season are usually when the better teams in the league slip into a higher gear and make their move towards a division title and a playoff spot. Almost all the divisions are still up in the air at this stage of the season, but perhaps none more so than the NFC South, just as the NFL odds indicate. The 4 teams in this division really haven’t faced each other much this year, which means the second half of the season is going to be devoted to divisional match-ups. Given the current state of the NFC, it is really only the division winner that is guaranteed a playoff spot. This will be the first divisional game of the year for the Falcons, while the Panthers are 1-1 after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend. The New Orleans Saints are red hot and in control of the South right now, so both teams need this win. The Carolina Panthers are favored by a single point, while the O/U for this one is set at 43 ½ points.

Atlanta (4-3) vs. Carolina (5-3) Week 9 Game Preview, NFL Odds & Pick

  • When: Sunday, November 5 at 1 PM EST
  • Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
  • TV: Fox
  • Radio: 92.9 FM (Atlanta) / 1110 AM (Carolina)
  • Live Stream: NFL Game Pass
  • NFL Odds: Carolina Panthers -1 (Over/Under at 43.5)

Weather Forecast

  • Partly Cloudy: 23°C/73°F
  • Humidity: 64%
  • Precipitation: 11%
  • Cloud Cover: 54%
  • Wind: 4 mph SSW
  • Stadium Type: Open

Week 9 NFL Spread, Betting Analysis & Prediction: Denver at Philadelphia

Series History

  • Total Meetings: 44
  • First Meeting: 09/03/1995 – Panthers 20 / Falcons 23
  • Last Meeting: 12/24/2016 – Falcons 33 / Panthers 16
  • All-Time Series: Falcons lead 27-17
  • Largest Margin of Victory: Panthers winning by 38 (2015)
  • Longest Win Streak: Falcons winning 6 (2000-2002)
  • Current Win Streak: Falcons winning 3 (2015-2016)

Why bet on the Atlanta Falcons?

This was always going to be a tough year for the Falcons given what they did last season, but they have taken a much heavier fall than anyone expected. Their biggest issue this season has been on the offensive side of the football, which is hard to believe after the record-breaking numbers that they posted in 2016. Atlanta snapped out of a 3-game losing skid last weekend versus the New York Jets, but it was an incredibly sloppy win, albeit in less than perfect conditions. The Atlanta Falcons are now 4-3, but that record could be a whole lot worse, as they barely escaped with wins in their games against Chicago and Detroit. They are doing things the hard way this year, and you get the sense that their lackluster play is going to eventually catch up to them in the worst way possible. Atlanta is 3-1 SU on the road this year, but are also just 1-3 ATS. They have won 4 of their last 6 in Carolina, but are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 visits there.

Team Statistics

Offense
  • Average Score For: 21.86
  • Total Yards: 374.71
  • Rush Yards: 123.57
  • Passing Yards: 251.14
Defense
  • Average Score Against: 21.71
  • Total Yards: 320.57
  • Rush Yards: 102.14
  • Passing Yards: 218.43

Why bet on the Carolina Panthers?

The Carolina Panthers are another team that has been less than convincing this season, yet they have still somehow managed to get to a 5-3 record at the halfway point. Their win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week was huge when you consider that Carolina had lost their first divisional game of the season. Losing that one and going to 0-2 in the division might well have been a disaster given how things are playing out in the NFC South. Cam Newton and the Panthers are favorites at the NFL Odds for Week 9. That win was also big when you consider that it snapped a 2-game losing skid, helping the Panthers get to the same number of wins as the division-leading Saints, although they have played a game more than New Orleans. The Panthers have been consistently good at home, going 18-6 in their last 24. Not so good has been their performance ATS at home, which is just 1-4-2 in their last 7.

Team Statistics

Offense
  • Average Score For: 18.50
  • Total Yards: 311
  • Rush Yards: 97.62
  • Passing Yards: 213.38
Defense
  • Average Score Against: 17.75
  • Total Yards: 264
  • Rush Yards: 81.62
  • Passing Yards: 182.38

Latest NFL Betting Trends for Week 9

  • Falcons are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games
  • Falcons are 10-4 SU in their last 14 games
  • The total has gone OVER in 16 of Atlanta’s last 21 games
  • Panthers are 1-4-2 ATS in their last 7 games at home
  • Panthers are 18-6 SU in their last 24 games at home
  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Carolina’s last 6 games

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

You simply cannot understate just how important this game is to these two teams, especially when you consider that the New Orleans Saints suddenly look unbeatable. I like the Panthers to back their NFL Odds at home, and I like the point total to go slightly OVER. Score: Atlanta Falcons 21 – Carolina Panthers 24