The Atlanta Falcons visit the Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night in a game that can be seen on FOX and NFL Network. The Atlanta Falcons have found new ways to lose this season and last week it was Todd Gurley scoring a touchdown instead of falling down inside the five-yard line, allowing Detroit to get the ball back. On the other side, the Panthers had their chance to prove they were a contender in the NFC South, but they couldn't handle the Saints. Let's look at the Thursday night matchup and NFL picks.
Watch this regular season NFL Week 8 matchup on Thursday, October 29, 2020, at 8:20 p.m. ET from Bank of America Stadium. Catch the game live on FOX and the NFL Network and bet on NFL odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
NFL Odds at Bookmaker.eu
Atlanta Falcons +2.5
Carolina Panthers -2.5
Over/Under 50
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Odds Analysis
The line on this game has gone back and forth from 3 to 2.5 and it currently stands at 2.5. The early money appears to be on the Falcons, as every time the line goes to three, the money appears on Atlanta and the line is driven back down to 2.5. The total has been bet down, as the opener on the total was 51. It is a little surprising that bettors are taking the under, as neither of theses teams plays much defense.
Injury Report
The Falcons don't have any injuries of note, while the Panthers are still dealing with a number of injuries. The biggest injury for Carolina is the one to running back Christian McCaffrey who has been out for some time. He will not be playing in this game, but his return is getting closer. McCaffrey has missed the last five games with a high ankle sprain. Mike Davis had been filling in admirably, but he didn't do much last week in the loss to New Orleans. "It just felt like one of those games based upon the way they were playing, based upon the way our guys were playing, it was going to be plays through the air," head coach Matt Rhule said sot the media, "(I) thought Mike (Davis) played well. We hit him on a couple passes. He made guys miss. Just felt like one of those, 'Hey, let's throw the ball."
Another key injury for the Panthers is the one to starting cornerback Rasul Douglas. He is out due to a positive COVID-19 list and it was obvious last week against the Saints that his loss is huge. The Panthers used a rotation of Donte Jackson, Troy Pride Jr. and Eli Apple. The Panthers allowed 277 passing yards last week against New Orleans. Douglas is probably going to miss this game as well.
Game Trends
The Falcons are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings. The Falcons are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a road underdog. The Falcons are 8-21 ATS in their last 29 games in October. The Panthers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games in October. The Panthers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite. The Panthers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games. The Over is 4-1 in the Falcons last 5 games as a road underdog. The Over is 5-1 in the Panthers last 6 vs. the NFC South. The Under is 12-3-2 in the last 17 meetings at Carolina.
Free ATS Pick
I don't really get the line movement on this game, but I also don't want to ignore it. The Panthers are the better team, but I am really concerned about their secondary, and if Douglas doesn't play, and early indications are that he won't, I can't see Carolina's defense stopping Atlanta's offense. I also don't think that Atlanta's defense can stop Carolina, so I think the best choice is to play this game over the total.
NFL Pick: Panthers 30, Falcons 27
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