The Carolina Panthers finished with a record of 0-3 in the 2023 NFL Preseason with losses at home against the New York Jets by a score of 0-27 and the Detroit Lions by a score of 17-26 while losing on the road against the New York Giants by a score of 19-21. The Panthers finished the 2022 NFL season with a record of 7-10 which led to a 2^nd place finish in the NFC South and the Panthers missing the playoffs and finishing with a losing record for the 5^th consecutive season. 

Carolina will have a new head coach this season after Matt Rhule was fired after the first four games of last season as the Panthers hired Frank Reich to become the next head coach, Reich most recently served as the head coach for the Indianapolis Colts from 2018-2022. This season, Carolina enters the year with an over/under win total of 7.5 wins and based on Vegas odds is projected to be the 3^rd best team in the NFC South behind the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta finished the 2023 NFL Preseason with a record of 1-1-1 with a win on the road against the Miami Dolphins by a score of 19-3, a tie at home against the Cincinnati Bengals by a score of 13-13, and a loss on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 0-24. The Falcons finished the 2022 NFL season with a record of 7-10 which led to a tie for last place in the NFC South and Atlanta missing the playoffs and finishing with a losing record for the 5^th consecutive year. 

This year, the Atlanta Falcons enter the season with an over/under win total of 8.5 wins and based on Vegas odds are projected to be the 2^nd best team in the NFC South only behind the New Orleans Saints as the Falcons are +224 to win the NFC South this year.

BookMaker has the Atlanta Falcons listed as 3.5-point favorites at home against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in week 1 of the NFL season. Atlanta has won seven of the last ten and two of the last three games while going 6-4 ATS in the last ten games of the series. 

The Carolina Panthers finished last season with a record of 9-8 ATS overall, 4-4 ATS on the road, 9-4 ATS as an underdog, and 5-1 ATS in division games while the Atlanta Falcons finished 9-8 ATS overall, 5-4 ATS at home, 2-3 ATS as a favorite, and 4-2 ATS in division games.

Both teams should be competitive this season in the NFC South and both have a chance to win the NFC South this season, however, that isn’t saying a lot as they are both projected to be right around .500 this season as the Panthers enter the season with an over/under win total of 7.5 games while the Falcons have an over/under win total of 8.5 games this season. 

Atlanta has been the better team in the series, winning seven of the last ten and two of the last three games while going 6-4 ATS in the last ten games in the series. As a result, I am buying the .5 point and taking the Atlanta Falcons -3 on BookMaker for this matchup on Sunday. 

Spooky Express Pick: Atlanta Falcons -3