The Carolina Panthers are on the road for the second-consecutive week, this time for a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. The Panthers enter this week with a 3-4 record on the season. This week marks Carolina’s second divisional game of the year after defeating New Orleans in Week 2 (9/19/21) by a score of 26-7.
Atlanta is on a two-game winning streak after topping the Dolphins (30-28) and Jets (27-20) in its last two games. The Falcons and Panthers rank 3rd and 4th respectively in the
NFC South standings. The two clubs have faced off 52 total times, with Atlanta leading the series record 33-19.
The Numbers
About Carolina
- DE Brian Burns and OLB Haason Reddick have combined for 10.5 total sacks this season. Red- dick (6.5) and Burns (4.0) are 1-of-8 teammate duos in the league with 4+ sacks apiece this year.
- Since the start of the 2020 season, Reddick has racked up 19 sacks, 4th most by any player in that span. Burns is tied for 10th in the NFL since the start of 2020 with 13 sacks.
- The Panthers are tied for 7th in the league with 18 sacks in 2021. Opposing QBs are averaging just 197.1 passing yards per game, the 2nd fewest allowed by any team this year.
- The Panthers have tallied four interceptions by four different players this year – CB Jaycee Horn, FS Juston Burris, LB Shaq Thompson and CB Donte Jackson. The six players to force a fumble this season are LB Hasson Reddick, CB A.J. Bouye, LB Frankie Luvu, CB Donte Jackson, S Sean Chandler and CB Keith Taylor.
- CB Donte Jackson has tallied 11 career INTs since being selected by Carolina in the 2nd round (55th overall) of the 2018 Draft. His 11 picks are the most by any CB from his draft class, and tied for 1st with Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick. Jackson ranks 4th on the Panthers with 32 tackles in 2021 and is 1st with 5 passes defensed. Jackson is one of six players to record at least 5 tackles, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception in a game this season.
- Carolina has held its opponents to 307.4 total yards per game this season, the 3rd fewest by any team. Opposing teams are averaging 5.12 yards per play against the Panthers, the third lowest average in the league. Carolina has given up 17.4 first downs this season, the third fewest allowed by any team this season.
- Carolina is holding opposing QBs to a 62.7 completion percentage, which is the seventh lowest in the NFL. The Panthers are allowing the second fewest passing yards per
game in the NFL (197.1). Carolina has 9 players who have contributed in the sack column, tied for sixth most in the NFL.
- WR DJ Moore enters Week 8 of the 2021 season ranked 4th in the NFL in receptions (46) and 6th in receiving yards (586). Since Week 1 of the 2019 season, Moore has totaled 2,954 receiving yards, 5th most in the NFL over that span. Moore has averaged 14.84 yards per reception since 2019, the 3rd-most by any player with at least 150 receptions in that span.
- Through seven games this year, QB Sam Darnold is averaging career highs in numerous statistical categories including passing yards (240.5 per game), completion percentage (61.4), yards per completion (11.5) and rushing TDs (5). Darnold is tied for third league-wide with five rushing touchdowns, the most in a single season of his career.
- Rookie RB Chuba Hubbard has played in every game this season, starting four contests in place of an injured Christian McCaffrey. Hubbard has racked up 309 rushing yards on 84 attempts, averaging 3.7 yards per carry. He’s added 110 receiving yards on 17 catches.
- The Panthers acquired CB Stephon Gilmore in a trade with New England in Week 5 (10/6/21) in exchange for a 2023 sixth-round draft pick. A fourtime Pro Bowler and 2019 AP Defensive Player of the Year, Gilmore played five seasons in Buffalo (2012-16) and four in New England (2017-20). Since entering the NFL in 2012, Gilmore is tied for 6th in the NFL with 25 interceptions and tied for 2nd in passes defended with 114. In his career-best season in 2019, he led the NFL with six interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.
About Atlanta
- Matt Ryan enters Sunday’s game with a career 10-3 record against the Panthers in Atlanta, having completed 299-of-446 attempts (67 percent) for 3,724 yards 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions for a 101.0 passer rating. Last week, Ryan led the 40th game-winning drive of his career. In the win, Ryan passed for 336 yards, marking his 72nd career game with at least 300 passing yards. If Ryan passes for at least 300 yards on Sunday, he would tie Philip Rivers (73) for the fourth-most such games in league history.
- Mike Davis, who has totaled 302 yards from scirmmage (214 rushing, 88 receiving) and two
touchdowns through his first six games with Atlanta this season, will face his old team on Sunday. Davis appeared in 20 games (12 starts) for Carolina from 2019-20.
- In the Falcons’ Week 7 win, Kyle Pitts set a singlegame franchise record for receiving yards by a tight end with 163. Pitts’ 163 receiving yards were also the fourth-most by a rookie tight end in a single game in NFL history. If Pitts finishes with at least 100 receiving yards on Sunday, he would become the first rookie tight end to do so in three consecutive games in NFL history.
- On defense, Falcons linebackers Deion Jones and Foye Oluokun will look to continue their impressive seasons. Last week, Jones tied his career high with 15 total tackles and became the first player in the NFC to finish with at least 15 total tackles, 1.0 sack and three tackles for a loss in a game since 2002, while Oluokun tallied 13 total tackles (eight solo) and one interception in the win.
- Last week, the Falcons converted 6-of-13 (46.2 percent) of third down attempts against Miami. Since Week 4, Atlanta has converted an NFL-eading 58.1 percent (25-of-43) of third-down attempts. Overall, the Falcons have converted 45.9 percent of third down attempts, the sixth-highest percentage in the NFL this season.
- In their first seasons as Atlanta Falcons, running backs Mike Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson have combined for eight touchdowns (five receiving, three rushing) through the first six games of the season. Davis and Patterson’s eight combined touchdowns are tied for the third-most among a duo of running backs in the NFL in 2021.
- The Falcons offensive line has limited opponents to nine sacks, tied for the third-fewest in the NFL this season. Atlanta’s nine sacks allowed are the third-fewest through the first seven weeks of a season since 1982 when the sack became an official NFL statistic, and the fewest since 2013 (nine).
Connections
- Panthers DT Derrick Brown is a native of Buford, Ga. and attended Lanier HS.
- Panthers CB A.J. Bouye is a native of Tucker, Ga. and attended Tucker HS.
- Panthers T Cameron Erving is a native of Moultrie, Ga. and attended Colquitt County HS.
- Panthers DE Darryl Johnson is a native of Kingsland, Ga. and attended Camden County HS.
- Panthers TE Tommy Tremble is native of Peachtree Corners, Ga. and attended Wesleyan HS.
- Falcons OL Colby Gossett played his college years at Appalachian State from 2014-17.
- Falcons RB Wayne Gallman played his college years at Clemson from 2014-16.
- Falcons DB T.J. Green played his college years at Clemson from 2013-15.
- Falcons DB A.J. Terrell played his college years at Clemson from 2017-19.
- Falcons DL Grady Jarrett played his college years at Clemson from 2011-14.
- Falcons RB Mike Davis played his college years at South Carolina from 2012-14.
- Falcons TE Hayden Hurst played his college years at South Carolina from 2015-17.
Panthers vs Falcons
All-Time Series: 52 total matchups | Atlanta leads the series 33-19
Last Regular Season Game: 10/29/20 (Thurs.) | Falcons 25 @ Panthers 17
Series Record at Venue: Carolina is 7-19 in road games against the Falcons
Series Streak: Carolina and Atlanta split the 2020 series 1-1; Atlanta won 6 of the last 8 matchups (dates back to 2017).
How to Watch
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET FOX: Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin
Live Stream: Panthers.com
Radio: WBT-AM 1110 AM in Charlotte market; On The Call: Mick Mixon, Jake Delhomme, Jim Szoke, Kristen Balboni