Atlanta Falcons rival lone team left out of prime-time lineup

All but one NFL team was given at least prime-time game with the Atlanta Falcons getting four standalone games. This includes two Monday Night Football Matchups against the Eagles and Raiders. Atlanta getting this many prime time slots indicates the team's strong offseason and the interest they will generate with the duo of Raheem Morris and Kirk Cousins in their first seasons in Atlanta.

Not all NFC South teams were so lucky with one team notably being left off the prime-time schedule. The Carolina Panthers are the lone team without a single featured game this season. It speaks to the level they have fallen under dysfunctional ownership and poor management. The leash at head coach and quarterback is incredibly short and they spent a wealth of assets to add quarterback Bryce Young.

Young was set up for failure from the start without adequate protection or weapons. Evaluating what the young quarterback could become is close to impossible considering the team that has been built around him.

The league not giving Carolina any prime time slots speaks to the fact this is going to be a bottom-five team in the league yet again. Barring a miraculous developmental jump from Young this team is a 4-5 win unit at their best.

Carolina's failures are opportunities for Atlanta and Tampa to seize control of a weak division. New Orleans has a capable roster but is aging and lacks the ceiling and talent of their division rivals, This division is Atlanta's to lose with the team winning the offseason and having a favorable schedule to finish. However, considering Tampa's recent run they cannot be ignored as a team that defied expectations and found a way to scrap out a playoff upset last season.

The league is telling you how little relevance Carolina is expected to have not only in the division race but in the league's story in the 2024 season.