Falcons vs Panthers Free Picks Week 1

One of the NFL matchups in Week 1 is a divisional game between Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, 10 September. This is the first of probably many games that will pit Bryce Young against Desmond Ridder and fans are eager to see how it goes down.

How prepared are the Carolina Panthers?

The Panthers were among the few teams who did not win a single game in the entire 2023 preseason. Under new Head coach Frank Reich, the team is hoping to thrive.

They are starting off their 2023 season bringing a rookie quarterback, Bryce Young. He was the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and will surely try to prove his worth. Expectations are high for the man considering the Panthers gave up DJ Moore for the player. They also brought in wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, who, along with Young, is capable of carrying the offense towards victory.

There were many other changes to upgrade the offense further including the addition of running back Miles Sanders and receiver Adam Thielen. The one thing that the team needs to focus on now is their passing game. With the departure of not only Baker Mayfield but also DJ Moore and Sam Darnold, the team needs to do something about this issue before it is too late.

All eyes are on Young and what he has to offer in the 2023 season. Carolina is all set to give it their best this Sunday.

What do the Atlanta Falcons have in store?

The Falcons weren’t very bold in the pre-season ending it with a record of 1-1-1, three low scoring games. They scored a total of 32 points and allowed only 40.

Their roster is filled with a lot of young players, especially on the offense. Their quarterback Desmond Ridder didn’t do very well last season and he is looking to put that behind this year. He was sacked nine times in just four games. Hopefully, he can do better this time around. His role is crucial throughout the season and he needs to make sure it plays out perfectly. The Falcons also used their 8th overall pick in the draft to sign running back Bijan Robinson, from Texas. He might become in charge quite early despite still having Tyler Allgeier on the team.

The Falcons are really depending on Ridder to lead them towards victory.

What might go down?

Both the Falcons and Panthers had identical records (7-10) in the previous 2022 season. Only time will tell who is capable of getting ahead this year. The game this Sunday offers just the head start both sides need. Only problem for the Falcons is that they have faced defeat in five straight season openers so, if it continues to stay that way, the Panthers definitely have a better shot at winning this game. Both seem well prepared for the start of the regular season and fans are hoping it is better than what they managed in the preseason.

NFL Odds has the Falcons -3.5 points and the total is 39.5 points. Ridder has a year head start on Young. That gives the Atlanta the edge in our opinion. Take the Falcons and buy the point to bring it down to ATL -2.5