As we approach Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season, the Atlanta Falcons stand atop the NFC South after defeating the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in consecutive weeks. The team’s next test is a road matchup against the Carolina Panthers.
While the Panthers do seem to be more fluid on offense with Andy Dalton replacing Bryce Young at quarterback, they’re still a team in disrepair and in need of a major rebuild. Sunday’s game will be the Falcons’ best opportunity yet to flex their muscles and dominate an opponent.
The team pulled off two improbable comebacks to beat Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, but Atlanta has yet to win convincingly. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley dropped a fourth-quarter pass that would have sealed a win in Week 2.
That blunder gave the Falcons new life, and to their credit, they took advantage. Atlanta needed to outscore the Bucs 13-6 in the second half just to force overtime before benefitted from winning the coin toss.
Obviously, it’s nice to win when you’re not playing your best football, but the Falcons have to prove they can play well for four quarters. Carolina is 1-4 this season with an average margin of defeat of 24 points.
The Panthers opened the season with a 37-point loss to the Saints and are coming off a 26-point loss to the Chicago Bears last Sunday. The Falcons’ average margin of victory is just three points and all five games this season have been within a single possession.
In Week 5, Kirk Cousins showed the league that the team isn’t scared to throw the football by recording the 25th 500-yard passing game in NFL history against the Bucs. This should work in Atlanta’s favor in Week 6 as Carolina ranks 22nd in passing yards allowed per game.
Surprisingly, the ground game is where the Falcons need to show the most improvement. The Panthers’ run defense ranks 27th in the league, allowing just under 145 yards per contest.
The Falcons haven’t had a 100-yard rusher all season and are one of eight teams averaging under 100 rushing yards per game. When your backfield consists of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, those are unacceptably low numbers.
As highlighted above, the matchups favor Atlanta in Week 6. Now it’s time for this team to prove its early-season success wasn’t a fluke.
Sunda’s game starts at 4:25 p.m. ET inside Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Check out the team’s latest injury report, depth chart, and 53-man roster entering Week 6.
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