The winless Carolina Panthers still remain a formidable foe for the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday afternoon. Bryce Young and the Panthers are hoping to avoid an 0-3 start as the Dirty Birds will head to Charlotte in hopes of continuing their winning ways on the heels of a dominant performance in Week 2.
Jeff Ulbrich's defense will be missing star corner A.J. Terrell in Week 3, so the Falcons' defense will be vulnerable at the worst possible time—even after manhandling J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings on primetime. His absence opens the door for rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan to torch a secondary that lacks depth behind their shutdown CB1.
McMillan immediately cemented himself as Young's favorite target, logging his first-career 100-yard receiving game in Week 2. Through two weeks, his 168 receiving yards lead all rookies and is good for ninth in football—but coverage from Dee Alford and Mike Hughes could propel T-Mac to his biggest performance yet.
With A.J. Terrell out, expect Tetairoa McMillan to take advantage
The 2025 first-round pick caught six receptions for 100 yards against the Cardinals in Week 2, but has yet to secure his first NFL touchdown. At 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds, the former Arizona standout brings the kind of size-speed blend that gives smaller corners nightmares, and Young hasn't been shy about feeding him.
Unfortunately, Alford stands at just 5-foot-11, while Hughes has amassed a 56.6 PFF grade in 2025. Hughes struggled in Week 1 against another rookie wideout in Tampa Bay's Emeka Egbuka, and fans are hoping Sunday won't be a case of deja vu.
McMillan's connection with the former Heisman Trophy winner has wasted no time turning heads. The pair have connected on four plays of 20+ yards, including a 40-yard catch-and-run in Week 2. Young threw for 328 yards and two scores last weekend while helping his new WR1 establish himself among the league's brighest young pass-catchers.
The good news for Atlanta is that Carolina is also dealing with the injury bug. Two starting linemen in Austin Corbett and Robert Hunt won't suit up in Week 3, while receiver Xavier Legette is questionable with a hamstring issue. Aside from Terrell, the Dirty Birds enter Bank of America Stadium mostly healthy
The Falcons are second in the NFL in total defense and are allowing just 14.5 points per game, but Sunday poses a different challenge. The last time these two teams met, Young totaled five touchdowns in a Week 18 overtime victory for Carolina to conclude the 2024 season.
This game could easily turn into another shootout—but this is not the same Atlanta defense from nine months ago. Ulbrich’s vision is taking shape, the rookies are shining, and everything hinges on whether the Falcons can contain the No. 8 overall pick on Sunday.