The Thursday Night Football game for Week 8 will feature the Atlanta Falcons taking on the Carolina Panthers. The game is set to start at 8:20 pm ET on FOX and the NFL Network.
The Falcons have had a very disappointing season thus far. Atlanta continues to find ways to lost games that they should win. They have lost three games in which their chances of winning were at least 98% at some point in the fourth quarter.
Their struggles caused the firing of head coach Dan Quinn. However, they did much of the same last week without him against the Lions. The Falcons are 1-6 on the season and are at the bottom of the NFC South.
On the other hand, the Panthers have been better than many expected, especially without Christian McCaffrey. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is having a good season and barely missed getting the win against the Saints last week.
Can the Falcons Close a Game?
If the Falcons could close out a game, they would still be in the running for a playoff spot. But now, their one-win record is getting them nowhere.
These losses don’t squarely fall on Matt Ryan’s shoulders, as the offense has been playing ok. Most of this has been from poor play on the defensive end.
“Playing on Thursday night makes you get out of the funk that you’re in after a tough loss,” Ryan said.
Well, the Falcons need to get out of the funk for several tough losses. The Lions game is part of an ongoing trend.
Panthers Still Without McCaffrey
There was chatter that McCaffrey would be returning to the field this week, but it has been announced that he will be sitting out once again. McCaffrey was injured in Week 2, and he has been sidelined ever since.
The Panthers are playing much better without him than many thought was possible. Bridgewater has been connecting with Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore on a regular basis.
Without McCaffrey, Mike Davis is seeing the most carries from the running back spot. He has 284 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Prediction
The spread in this one favors the Panthers by 2.5 points. With the Falcons finding a way to lose many close games, I believe they will continue that trend in this one.
The Panthers are a much tougher team than the Falcons have been. Last week against the Saints was a great performance from this team, but they just came up short. I like them to bounce back this week and cover the spread, but not by much.
The over/under for the game is set at 51.5. I like taking the over in this one.
Even with Atlanta’s struggles, most of the issues involved the defense. Ryan and the offense will still put up some points, but the Panthers will score along with the Falcons to keep it competitive.
This game will be a high-scoring affair, with the Panthers squeaking out a win by a touchdown. Bridgewater continues his solid season, and they get back to .500 for McCaffrey’s return.
FREE PICK: Panthers -2.5, over 51.5