A very winnable game for the Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons look to continue their three-game winning streak vs the Panthers. The longest winning streak the Panthers have ever had in this rivalry is three, ours is six.

The Atlanta Falcons own the Carolina Panthers. 30-18 all-time and 12-6 this decade. They are truly our little brother.

Going into Week 10, the Falcons seem to have found their defensive answer.

Last Sunday, Jeff Ulbrich took control of the defense and held the New Orleans Saints to only nine points. The first time the Saints have never scored over 10 points at home under Drew Brees.

However, this week the Atlanta Falcons defense is tasked with stopping a much tougher force, but also a force on a very weak offense.

Christian McCaffrey is a top MVP candidate. He has had a stellar season and is the backbone for the Carolina Panthers.

Through the first nine games of the season, McCaffrey has nearly surpassed 1,400 total yards (989 on the ground, 396 through the receiving). Hopefully, our newfound defense can find ways to mitigate a McCaffrey led offense.

Carolina has one of the league’s worst passing games. No receiver averages more than 80 yards per game. D.J. Moore, their top receiver, only averages 76 a game and Curtis Samuel averages a measly 49 yards per game receiving.

Being so one dimensional can bode well for Atlanta and maybe they can hone in on stopping one of the best rushing attacks in the league.

Kyle Allen went the first four games of his season throwing no interceptions, seven touchdowns and going 4-0. Over the past three games, he has thrown five interceptions and only three scores and the Panthers have gone 1-2.

Expect a lot of dink and dunks from Allen. However, he has shown to possess maneuverability in the pocket and escape pressure to make plays down the field.

On the offensive side of the ball for the Atlanta Falcons, the key matchup here is not the passing game, but the run game. The Panthers boast a 29th ranked rushing defense, giving up 136 yards per game.

This is the perfect game to use our young backfield. Brian Hill and Qadree Ollison should see reasonable snaps this week and using the momentum from the New Orleans game, Hill could possibly surpass his total from the Panthers last season. In week 15 of 2018, Hill ran for 115 yards on only eight carries.

Hill will get the start as both Freeman and Smith are out with injuries. Having a great game could really springboard the second half of the season for both Hill and the Falcons offensive line. They may not make the playoffs, but it’s better to roll into 2020 with great momentum rather than a great draft spot. I think this Atlanta Falcons team is getting the Panthers at the right time.