Coming off a Week 13 bye, the Carolina Panthers return to Bank of America Stadium for an NFC South Divisional matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. After falling to Miami in Week 12, the Panthers enter this week with a 5-7 record and sit in 2nd place in the NFC South. The 5-7 Falcons come into this week’s matchup after falling to the Buccaneers 30-17. This week marks Carolina’s third divisional game of the year after defeating New Orleans in Week 2 (26-7) and Atlanta in Week 8 (19-13).
The Numbers
About the Panthers
- Carolina’s 32 sacks this year are tied for 4th in the NFL. The Panthers are allowing the fewest passing yards per game in the NFL (176.7). This marks the fewest passing yards allowed through the first 12 games in team history.
- Carolina’s defense is the only team in the NFL that has not allowed a touchdown on the opponents’ first drive of any game this season. The Panthers have allowed just 6 points by opposing teams on opening drives (2 FGs, 1 takeaway, 9 punts).
- The Panthers have tallied eight interceptions by five different players this year – CB Stephon Gilmore (2x), LB Shaq Thompson (2x), CB Donte Jackson (2x), CB Jaycee Horn and FS Juston Burris.
- Carolina has 10 different players with a forced fumble, tied for the most by any team in the NFL. The 10 players to force a fumble this season are: LB Hasson Reddick (2x), CB A.J. Bouye, LB Frankie Luvu (ST), CB Donte Jackson, S Sean Chandler (ST), CB Keith Taylor, DE Brian Burns, S Jeremy Chinn, DE Morgan Fox and LB Julian Standford (ST).
- Through 12 games this season, Carolina has started eight different lineups along the
offensive line. T Taylor Moton is the only Panthers offensive lineman to start all 12 games this season, 11 at RT and one at LT.
- Carolina has allowed just seven sacks over the last five weeks (8-12), tied for the sixth fewest given up by any team over that span. The Panthers have tallied 333 rushing attempts through Week 12, the 12th most in the NFL.
- In Week 8 at Atlanta, Carolina’s front paved running lanes on 47 rushing attempts, the most in a single game by any team this season. The Panthers totaled 203 rushing yards, the most since Week 5 of 2019 (10/06/2019 vs. Jacksonville).
- In his first three games with the Panthers this season, QB Cam Newton has accounted for 6 touchdowns (3 passing, 3 rushing). Newton has 73 career rushing touchdowns and 44 career games with both a passing and rushing touchdown, both the most by a quarterback in NFL history. Newton has played in 143 games since entering the NFL in 2011. Newton has accounted for the 5th-most total touchdowns (267) among all players through their first 142 career games since the NFL merger (1970).
- WR DJ Moore enters Week 14 of the 2021 season ranked 13th in the NFL in receptions (66)
and tied for 13th in receiving yards (854).
- Rookie RB Chuba Hubbard has played in every game this season, starting five contests in place of an injured Christian McCaffrey. Hubbard has racked up 427 rushing yards on 122 attempts, averaging 3.5 yards per carry. He’s added 152 receiving yards on 19 catches.
- OLB Haason Reddick joined Carolina this offseason following a career-best 12.5 sacks last year with Arizona. His 7 strip sacks since the start of the 2020 season is a league best. Since the start of the 2020 season, Reddick’s 23.0 sacks rank fourth in the NFL. In his first 12 games with the Panthers, Reddick has racked up a 10.5 sacks (third most in the NFC), 55 tackles, 12 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR. He’s the only player in the NFC with at least 10 TFL, 1 FF, 1FR and
50 tackles.
About Atlanta
- This season, the Falcons have won four of six road games and can notch their fifth road win of a season for the first time since 2017.
- Atlanta’s offense will look to continue its recent success on the ground this week. Over the past two games, the Falcons offense has rushed for 270 yards on 52 carries. Atlanta’s 5.19 yards per carry is the third-highest in the NFL over the past two weeks.
- In his last five games at Carolina, Matt Ryan has completed 108-of-158 attempts (68.4 percent) for 1,421 yards (284 avg.), eight touchdowns and two interceptions for a 108.1 rating. If Ryan passes for at least 300 yards on Sunday, he would surpass Philip Rivers (73) for the fourth-most games with at least 300 yards in NFL history. Additionally, Ryan needs three touchdown passes to tie Eli Manning (366) for the ninth-most career touchdown passes in NFL history.
- Through Week 12, the Falcons running backs and tight ends have combined for 1,616 receiving yards this season — the most in the NFL this season and the most through the first 11 games of a season in franchise history.
- So far in 2021, Kyle Pitts has recorded 49 receptions for 709 receiving yards — the third most receiving yards by a rookie tight end through his first 12 career games in NFL history.
- Over the past two games, Russell Gage has tallied seven receptions on third down. Since the start of last season, Gage has recorded 37 receptions on third down resulting in 30 first downs, both of which are the fourth-most in the NFC over that span.
- The Falcons defense ranks second in the NFL in third-and-10+ situations this season, allowing opponents to convert only four out of 40 attempts.
- Foye Oluokun leads the Falcons defense with 135 total tackles this season. Oluokun’s 135 tackles are the second most in the NFL behind only Bobby Wagner (137). In the first meeting with Carolina this season, Oluokun tallied a career-high 16 total tackles — marking one of his seven games with double-digit tackles this season.
- So far this season, CB A.J. Terrell has played 413 snaps in coverage, allowing only 21 receptions on 44 targets for 136 yards and two touchdowns. He has a 60.4 passer rating when targeted according to PFF. Terrell has the second-best coverage ranking with a 87.5.
- In 2021, Grady Jarrett has made 29 pressures and has hit the quarterback eight times. Jarrett has the 10th most pressures by NFC defensive interior lineman. In Week 12 against the Jaguars, he totaled three pressures, including one QB hit.
Connections
- Panthers QB Cam Newton is a native of College Park, GA and attended Westlake HS.
- Panthers CB A.J. Bouye is a native of Tucker, GA and attended Tucker HS.
- Panthers DT Derrick Brown is a native of Buford, GA and attended Lanier HS.
- Panthers T Cameron Erving is a native of Moultrie, GA and attended Colquitt 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 DL Jonathan Bullard is a native of Shelby, NC and attended Crest HS.
- Falcons RB Cordarrelle Patterson is a native of Rock Hill, SC and attended Northwestern HS.
- Falcons DL Anthony Rush is a native of Raleigh, NC and attended Cary HS.
- Falcons RB Wayne Gallman played his college years at Clemson from 2014-16.
Carolina vs Atlanta
All-Time Series: 53 total matchups | Atlana leads the series 33-20
Last Regular Season Game: 10/31/21 | Carolina 19 @ Atlanta 13
Series Record at Venue: Carolina is 12-14 in home games vs. Atlanta
Series Streak: Carolina leads the 2021 series 1-0. Atlanta won 6 of the last 9 matchups (dates back to 2017).
How to Watch
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET FOX: Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Lindsay Czarniak
Live Stream: Panthers.com
Radio: WBT-AM 1110 AM in Charlotte market; On The Call: Mick Mixon, Jake Delhomme, Jim Szoke, Kristen Balboni
Per Release