Falcons vs. Panthers betting guide: The best bets for Thursday Night Football

Your betting guide to Falcons vs. Panthers on Thursday night.

If you’re looking to bet on the Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers game and need to do some last-minute research, you’re in luck! We’ve put together this handy betting guide, which includes the point spread, moneyline and over-under, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet.

The game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET and can be seen on FOX and NFL Network. The weather forecast for Charlotte tonight is calling for rain showers tapering off throughout the night, with a 55% chance of precipitation at kickoff, and wind gusts up to 22 mph early in the game, so weather could be a factor.

The Panthers enter Week 8 at 3-4, having lost back-to-back games to the Bears and Saints. Star running back Christian McCaffrey returned to practice this week, but was not activated for Thursday Night Football and will not play against the Falcons.

The Falcons, at 1-6, are reeling from another heartbreaking fourth-quarter collapse last Sunday. Atlanta had a win over the Lions all but sealed, but Todd Gurley’s accidental touchdown with a minute left to play gave the ball back to the Lions, and allowed Matt Stafford to lead his team on a game-winning 75-yard touchdown drive.

The lines, courtesy of BetMGM

  • Point spread: Panthers -2
  • Money line: Panthers -139 / Falcons +115
  • Over-under: 51.5

What you need to know:

  • According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Panthers have a 55.7 chance to win, and the Falcons have a 44 percent chance to win.
  • The public is behind the Panthers at home. According to Action Network’s public betting info, 62 percent of tickets and 56 percent of the money is on the Panthers -2.
  • For the total, 57 percent of bets and 68 percent of money is on the over.

Advice

The Falcons are better than their record implies, but can you really trust them to deliver on the road after all of the gaffes we’ve seen this season? Teddy Bridgewater had a great game against the Falcons in Week 5, and he should be able to punish their soft pass defense again on Thursday. Give me the home favorite here, especially when I’m laying less than a field goal. Panthers -2.

I think the public is snap-betting the over whenever the Falcons are in play, but these teams just met in Week 5, with the Panthers winning 23-16 in a dome. The Panthers have hit over 51.5 just twice all season. Add in the possibility of wet weather and some wind, and I think this total is going to drop throughout the day. Bet Under 51.5 while you can.

Player props

D.J. Moore longest reception over 23.5 yards (-121)

Moore, who caught a 57-yard pass against the Falcons earlier this year, has had a long of over 23.5 in five of seven games this year.

Julio Jones and Robby Anderson both to have 80+ receiving yards (+350)

Jones is back to his NFL All-Pro self, grabbing 16 receptions for 234 yards over the last two weeks. Anderson has hit just under 80 yards in each of the last two weeks, but he had a season-high 12 targets against the Falcons in Week 5.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.