2026
Week 18 · Sunday 1:00 PM ET · Bank of America Stadium
vs
Panthers offensevsFalcons defense
Season numbers through Week 8: 7 games for Panthers, 8 for Falcons. Ranks are out of 32; #1 is the best offense or the stingiest defense.
Wideouts feast
Falcons give up 150 yards a game to wide receivers (20th), against a league average of 147. Panthers' wide receivers produce 181 (5th).
Deep left is open
Falcons are worst against deep left throws, allowing +0.17 EPA per attempt. Panthers send 6% of their throws there. That is a small part of their offense so far.
Pressure problem
Panthers take a sack on 8% of dropbacks (22nd). Falcons get home on 6% (20th). League average is 7%.
EPA per play
Call this one even. Panthers average +0.04 EPA per play (12th). Falcons allow -0.04 (11th). League average is +0.00.
Players to watch
Falcons
Michael Penix Jr.QB · 104/168 · 1282 yds · 9 TD · 5 INTEPA per dropback +0.02 · 21st
Bijan RobinsonRB · 150 car · 780 yds · 5 TD · 25 recEPA per touch -0.07
Drake LondonWR · 39 rec · 624 yds · 1 TD · 62 tgtEPA per target +0.40
Kyle PittsTE · 22 rec · 197 yds · 4 TD · 32 tgtEPA per target +0.06Kendal DanielsLeft Inside Linebacker · 52 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 2 PD1 INTC.J. HendersonRight Cornerback · 39 tackles · 8 PD8 passes defended · T-7th in the NFL
Panthers
Bryce YoungQB · 158/269 · 1921 yds · 13 TD · 5 INTEPA per dropback +0.06 · 17th
Chuba HubbardRB · 118 car · 540 yds · 7 TD · 22 recEPA per touch +0.14 · 4th
Tetairoa McMillanWR · 42 rec · 569 yds · 2 TD · 65 tgtEPA per target +0.35
Jalen CokerWR · 27 rec · 364 yds · 3 TD · 44 tgtEPA per target +0.19Devin LloydLeft Inside Linebacker · 45 tackles · 2 sacks · 2 INT · 3 PD2 INT · T-11th in the NFLBobby OkerekeRight Inside Linebacker · 48 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 5 PD1 INTThe Falcons lead the series 33–22 since 1999. The Panthers have won the last 4. Sep 20, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium: the Panthers won 34–3. Tua Tagovailoa started at quarterback for the Falcons and Bryce Young for the Panthers; Raheem Morris and Dave Canales coached.
The last 5
| 2026 · Wk 2 | CAR 34 at ATL 3 |
| 2025 · Wk 11 · OT | CAR 30 at ATL 27 |
| 2025 · Wk 3 | ATL 0 at CAR 30 |
| 2024 · Wk 18 · OT | CAR 44 at ATL 38 |
| 2024 · Wk 6 | ATL 38 at CAR 20 |
2026 records
| Falcons | Panthers | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3–5 | 3–4 |
| Division | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Conference | 3–3 | 3–3 |
| Other conference | 0–2 | 0–1 |
| Home | 1–3 | 1–2 |
| Away | 2–2 | 2–2 |
| Last 5 | WLLWL | LWWLL |
| Streak | Lost 1 | Lost 2 |
| Points a game | 21.4 – 23.6 | 25.4 – 27.6 |
Every meeting since 1999, regular season and playoffs, from nflverse's game list, which starts in 1999; the all-time series goes back further. Franchises that moved count as one team (the Raiders, Chargers and Rams). Home and away are from the Falcons' side. Records are this regular season.
Panthers offense · 3WR 1TE
- QBBryce Young#9 · 158/269 · 1921 yds · 13 TD · 5 INT
- RBChuba Hubbard#30 · 118 car · 540 yds · 7 TD · 22 rec
- WRTetairoa McMillan#4 · 42 rec · 569 yds · 2 TD · 65 tgt
- WRJalen Coker#18 · 27 rec · 364 yds · 3 TD · 44 tgt
- WRJohn Metchie III#13 · 12 rec · 114 yds · 1 TD · 20 tgt
- TETommy Tremble#82 · 17 rec · 155 yds · 2 TD · 24 tgt
- LTRasheed Walker#63
- LGDamien Lewis#68
- CLuke Fortner#77
- RGRobert Hunt#50
- RTMonroe Freeling#57
Falcons defense · Base 3-4 D
- RDEBrandon Dorlus#54 · 13 tackles · 1 sack · 1 PD
- NTGervon Dexter Sr.#95 · 21 tackles · 1.5 sacks · 1 PD
- LDEMaason Smith#92 · 15 tackles · 1 sack · 1 PD
- WLBCameron Thomas#99 · 21 tackles · 2 sacks · 1 PD
- SLBJames Pearce Jr.#27 · 0 tackles
- RILBDivine Deablo#0 · 29 tackles · 1 PD
- LILBKendal Daniels#53 · 52 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 2 PD
- RCBC.J. Henderson#26 · 39 tackles · 8 PD
- LCBA.J. Terrell Jr.#24 · 13 tackles · 3 PD
- NBBilly Bowman Jr.#33 · 6 tackles · 2 PD
- SSJessie Bates III#3 · 45 tackles · 1 INT · 4 PD
- FSXavier Watts#31 · 53 tackles · 0.5 sacks · 1 INT · 2 PD
Starters from each team's current depth chart (nflverse, from ESPN), drawn in the offense's base three-receiver set against the defense's base front. The nickel back, the extra defensive back most teams use against three receivers, is drawn lighter. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. The toggle at the top flips which offense is drawn.
| Stat | CAR off | Favors CAR · Favors ATL | ATL def allows | NFL avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||
| EPA per play | +0.04#12 | -0.04#11 | +0.00 | |
| Success rate | 42%#16 | 44%#18 | 44% | |
| Yards per play | 5.6#12 | 5.3#13 | 5.4 | |
| Explosive play rate | 9%#18 | 9%#13 | 9% | |
| Passing | ||||
| Pass EPA per dropback | +0.05#16 | +0.00#14 | +0.03 | |
| Sack rate | 8%#22 | 6%#20 | 7% | |
| Running | ||||
| Run EPA per carry | -0.04#11 | -0.08#14 | -0.08 | |
| Yards per carry | 4.1#16 | 4.6#26 | 4.1 | |
| Money downs | ||||
| 3rd down conversion | 40%#19 | 42%#18 | 41% | |
| Red zone TD rate | 67%#12 | 63%#17 | 61% | |
| Targets by position | ||||
| WR yards per game | 181#5 | 150#20 | 147 | |
| TE yards per game | 70#4 | 55#17 | 55 | |
| TE targets per game | 8.7#8 | 7.6#16 | 7.6 | |
| RB receiving yards per game | 30#18 | 33#17 | 32 | |
Panthers: EPA per throw
Falcons: EPA allowed per throw
Green gains more than expected, red loses value. Cells with fewer than 5 throws are grayed out.