The NFL Week 18 is chalk-full of divisional rivalries, as expected, but they don’t all mean something. When it comes to the NFC South, they very much matter, including the matchup in Atlanta with the Falcons hosting the Carolina Panthers. That’s why we’ve got our best Panthers vs. Falcons predictions for you below.

Ultimately, everything leads into the best bet from our Panthers vs. Falcons picks, and we’ll wrap everything up with a new $250 FanDuel Sportsbook welcome bonus!

 

 

 

Panthers vs. Falcons Predictions For NFL Week 18, Sunday 1/5

Frankly, it’s been quite a while since we’ve had a Panthers vs. Falcons game with so much meaning, but there’s nothing better than when divisional rivalries matter in the final week of the NFL season.  Specifically, it’s Atlanta looking to make the playoffs.

We’ll discuss more on their scenario specifically coming up but just know that they do not control their own destiny. They can still do the part that they can control by beating the Panthers, which we predict will be on the back of RB Bijan Robinson. Although Carolina’s defense can be exploited in numerous ways, it’s their run defense that is far and away the worst in the NFL.

That should also be the case given a rookie QB under center in Michael Penix, and we’ll be still with the Atlanta side for the best bet from our Panthers vs. Falcons predictions.

 

 

 

Carolina Panthers: Back To Form

The positives for the Panthers this season: they doubled their win total from last season! Carolina’s four wins will at worst be tied for the NFL’s worst record this season, so while they’ve had some surprisingly competitive games against great teams, it has still culminated in what is a disappointment for their fans.

They have given sparks of hope to their fanbase, including just two weeks ago with their win over the Arizona Cardinals. However, they returned to form this past weekend, getting crushed 48-14 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This Sunday, they’ll be looking to eliminate the Falcons like they did the Cards in that upset win.

 

 

 

Atlanta Falcons: Defying The Odds

As promised, more on Atlanta’s playoff scenarios. First and foremost, a win at home this weekend is a must. To expand on the fact that they don’t control their own destiny is the fact that they also need the Bucs to lose on Sunday, who play right alongside them at 1 PM ET against the other NFC South team.

In other words, Falcons fans will also be huge New Orleans Saints fans for a few hours. Unfortunately for them, the Saints just lost by 15 points at home to the 4-12 Las Vegas Raiders and lost 34-0 on Monday Night Football the week prior. So, chances don’t look great, but the hope is still alive!

 

 

 

Panthers vs. Falcons Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

Given Atlanta being the motivated team and Carolina’s struggles, it’s no shock that the Panthers vs. Falcons odds at FanDuel Sportsbook have a significant home favorite:

 

 

 

Panthers vs. Falcons Predictions: Carolina Team Total Under 19.5 Points (-102 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

We stated that we’d be focusing our Panthers vs. Falcons predictions on the Atlanta side of the game, but in terms of preventing Carolina from doing their damage. While we do expect Bijan to have a big game with the great matchup, we’re going to trust the Falcons defense here.

Carolina’s flaws are vast, and Atlanta has been able to get back to a .500 record almost solely on their defense. Not only have they needed to when switching to a rookie QB, but they carried the team even when former starting QB Kirk Cousins was struggling.

For example, prior to last week’s loss, Atlanta’s defense won them back-to-back games with 15-9 and 34-7 victories. The first of which was when Cousins threw for just 112 yards and an interception, so the defense came up clutch. Although they allowed 30 points last Sunday, that was to a playoff team in the Washington Commanders.

Carolina is much more on par with the aforementioned wins above, which were over the Raiders and New York Giants. Therefore, we may see another single-digit point total this Sunday. After all, Carolina has been held to 10 points or fewer four times this season and have also scored more than 16 points just once in their past four games.

Along with a lack of motivation, we’re making the best bet from our Panthers vs. Falcons predictions on Carolina’s team total under 19.5 points (-102 at FanDuel Sportsbook).

 

 

 

Panthers vs. Falcons Injury Report & Latest News

Yet another reason as to why we don’t expect the Panthers to score much is due to the fact that RB Chuba Hubbard, by far their most productive player, has been injured with a knee issue.

As for Atlanta, we’ll be keeping an eye on WR Drake London, but he’s been getting healthier each week. Monitor those players and all injury news with the Fantasy Alarm NFL injury report.

 

 

 

How To Bet On Panthers vs. Falcons at FanDuel Sportsbook & Claim Your $250 Bonus

Make the most of our Panthers vs. Falcons predictions, or any pick for that matter, by the new $250 FanDuel sign up bonus:

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Whether you target a substantial favorite like Atlanta or one even greater, you’ll still receive that 50/1 payout! So, why not join FanDuel today?