The two teams that played one of the wildest -games of the 2022 NFL season will meet again when the Carolina Panthers host the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football. Just 12 days ago, the Panthers were on the verge of victory after quarterback P.J. Walker hit D.J. Moore with a 62-yard touchdown, tying the game at 34 with 12 seconds remaining prior to the extra point. But Moore was flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taking off his helmet, pushing back the extra-point attempt, which kicker Eddy Piñeiro missed. The Falcons won in overtime. On Thursday Night Football, Carolina (2-7) seeks redemption against Atlanta (4-5) in a game in Charlotte that will be affected by the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole.
Kickoff from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. Atlanta is a 2.5-point favorite in the latest Falcons vs. Panthers odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 41.5. Before you make any Panthers vs. Falcons picks or bets, make sure you check out what SportsLine NFL expert Emory Hunt has to say.
Hunt is the founder and CEO of Football Gameplan, which has been supplying analysis of all levels of football since 2007. He is a former running back at Louisiana-Lafayette and knows the game from a player's perspective. Hunt's dedication to analysis of all levels of college and professional football helped him start the USFL season 24-18, including a 12-6 record over the last five weeks.
In addition, Hunt has gone 19-5 on his last 24 picks involving the Falcons, returning $1,362. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, Hunt has zoned in on Falcons vs. Panthers and just locked in its picks and TNF predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the NFL odds and betting lines for Falcons vs. Panthers:
- Falcons vs. Panthers spread: Atlanta -2.5
- Falcons vs. Panthers over-under: 41.5 points
- Falcons vs. Panthers money line: Atlanta -145, Carolina +122
- ATL: Over has hit in three of Falcons' four road games
- CAR: Over is 4-0 in the Panthers' last four games in November
- Falcons vs. Panthers picks: See picks here
Why the Falcons can cover
Running back Cordarrelle Patterson has been explosive this season, which paid immediate dividends last Sunday when he was activated off the injured list. Patterson carried 13 times for 44 yards (3.4 average) and scored two touchdowns. He also caught one pass for nine yards. Patterson had rushed for over 100 yards in two of his first four games this season before suffering a knee injury. He carried 22 times for 120 yards (5.5 average) and one score in a season-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints and carried 17 times for 141 yards and one TD in a win at Seattle on Sept. 25.
Rookie running back Tyler Allgeier has also been impressive. He had a season-high 123 scrimmage yards, including 99 rushing, in Week 9, his second game with 100-plus yards from scrimmage. Allgeier had a TD catch in the Week 8 meeting with the Panthers, and ranks fourth among rookies with 423 rushing yards. He will be looking for his fifth game in a row with 50 or more scrimmage yards. See which team to pick here.
Why the Panthers can cover
Brian Burns is a common presence in opposing teams' backfields. The No. 16 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Burns ranks 13th in the league in sacks (six) and eighth in pressures (36). Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported on Sunday that the Panthers turned down two first round picks and a second round pick from the Rams at the trade deadline in exchange for Burns.
In addition, Carolina faces an Atlanta defense that has struggled giving up big plays this season. The Falcons have allowed 46 plays of 20 yards or more, which is the most in the league. Over the last three games, Atlanta has given up 21 such plays, which is seven more than any other team. See which team to pick here.
How to make Falcons vs. Panthers picks
For Thursday Night Football, Hunt is leaning under on the point total, but he also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. You can only find out what it is, and get the rest of Hunt's TNF picks, at SportsLine.
Who wins Panthers vs. Falcons? And what critical X-factor makes one side a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Panthers vs. Falcons spread you need to jump on Thursday night, all from the expert who's a stunning 19-5 on Falcons picks, and find out.
