Carolina (11-4) at Atlanta (9-6)
When: Sunday, December 31st 2017
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Time: 4:25 ET | TV: FOX
Opening Odds: Atlanta -3/47
Open an Account at Bovada Sportsbook Now! Sign up at Bovada.lv to get a $250 Signup Bonus to bet NFL Football odds and props!
There is still a lot to play for in this Week 17 battle between the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers, as its the only game on the board that pits two teams with playoff implications. The Falcons scenario is simple – beat Carolina on Sunday and you’re in the postseason. Atlanta won’t have the luxury of playing a team with nothing to play for as Carolina needs a in to retain their hopes of an NFC South title. The Falcons need a win or a Seattle loss to claim the final playoff spot in the NFC. Atlanta was eliminated from winning the division title with a 23-13 loss at New Orleans last week, while Carolina kept alive its hopes of an NFC South crown when Cam Newton’s rushing touchdown with 35 seconds left lifted the Panthers to a 22-19 win over a game Tampa Bay team. The Panthers could still end up seeded anywhere from second to fifth in the NFC playoffs, though they need a win and some help from multiple other teams to improve upon the No. 5 seed they’re in line for with a loss or a New Orleans victory at Tampa Bay. Regardless, Carolina plans to play its starters and play to win and probably keeping an eye on the scoreboard at the same time. The Panthers, who have won seven of their last eight, snapped a three-game losing streak against the Falcons with a 20-17 home win in Week 9. Cam Newton had a sub-par game through the air with just 13 completions, but ran for 86 yards and a score in that Week 9 matchup against the Falcons.
Led by Newton, Carolina relies heavily on the running game, ranking fourth in rushing offense at 134.3 yards a game. The running back duo of Jonathan Stewart and Christian McCaffrey will probably head to the bench if the Saints open up a big lead at Tampa Bay, which will be going on at the same time. The defense, which ranks sixth in the league against the run (89.9), was awful early in the season, but has regrouped a bit in the last few weeks and has forced 10 turnovers in the past three games.
[ad id=’36391′]
Atlanta got off to a slow start this season on offense, but are now in the top 10 in the league in total offense, but faltered to only 331 total yards in last week’s loss at New Orleans. Matt Ryan needs 222 yards today to surpass 4,000 passing yards for the seventh straight season, but his numbers represent a big dropoff from a year ago. Star receiver Julio Jones is battling ankle and thumb injuries, but had his second-best game of the season last week against the Saints, hauling in seven catches for 149 yards. The defense has been excellent against the run most of the season but especially of late, holding three straight opponents and four of the last five under 100 rushing yards.
The Panthers are playing better overall football right now and Cam is pretty good when he’s a dog. Atlanta has a lot of pressure on them to win this game, or watch Seattle take their postseason spot. I’ll take the points.
Pick: Panthers +3.5
- Panthers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
- Panthers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games on grass.
- Panthers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 17.
- Panthers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Panthers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games following a ATS loss.
- Panthers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 road games.
- Panthers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
- Panthers are 5-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Panthers are 15-6-1 ATS in their last 22 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Panthers are 6-13-1 ATS in their last 20 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Panthers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 vs. NFC South.
- Falcons are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Falcons are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Falcons are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
- Falcons are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 17.
- Falcons are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 6-1 in Panthers last 7 games after accumulating less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1 in Panthers last 6 games overall.
- Over is 5-1 in Panthers last 6 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Panthers last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 10-3 in Panthers last 13 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 9-3-1 in Panthers last 13 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Panthers last 5 games in December.
- Over is 19-7-1 in Panthers last 27 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Panthers last 8 vs. NFC South.
- Under is 4-0 in Falcons last 4 games overall.
- Under is 4-0-1 in Falcons last 5 games in December.
- Under is 4-0 in Falcons last 4 vs. NFC.
- Under is 4-0 in Falcons last 4 games following a ATS loss.
- Under is 7-1 in Falcons last 8 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Over is 7-1 in Falcons last 8 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 7-1 in Falcons last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-1 in Falcons last 6 home games.
- Under is 4-1 in Falcons last 5 vs. NFC South.
- Under is 4-1 in Falcons last 5 games in Week 17.
- Under is 19-7-1 in Falcons last 27 games on grass.
- Under is 19-7 in Falcons last 26 games following a straight up loss.
- Over is 13-5-1 in Falcons last 19 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 10-4 in Falcons last 14 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Under is 57-25-4 in Falcons last 86 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings.
- Home team is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings.
- Underdog is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings.
- Panthers are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 meetings in Atlanta.
