The Carolina Panthers have not only lost two straight games, but are going into Week 14 without star running back Christian McCaffrey, top cornerback Donte Jackson and offensive coordinator Joe Brady. And yet, they’re still not the underdogs.
Tipico Sportsbook has opened the Panthers as 2.5-point favorites over the visiting Atlanta Falcons for Sunday’s matchup at Bank of America Stadium. Both squads come in at 5-7 and look to claw back up the NFC wild card ranks with five games to go in the 2021 campaign.
Prior to their Week 13 bye, the Panthers were thoroughly crushed by the Miami Dolphins in a 33-10 defeat. Quarterback Cam Newton, who was not exactly helped out by his battered offensive line, completed just five of his 21 attempts with a pair of interceptions in a frighteningly bad outing.
That was preceded by a stellar performance and homecoming for Newton, which was partially spoiled by his old friend in Ron Rivera. The Washington Football Team squeezed out a 27-20 victory over Carolina in Week 11, kickstarting what has become a disappointing two-game losing streak.
Atlanta also comes in off a loss. They were out-dueled this past weekend by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Tom Brady, who tossed for 368 yards and four scores on the Falcons defense.
Look, however, for that line to perhaps shift away from the Panthers. They came out of the break on Monday without three of their offensive linemen.
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