Cat Scratch Reader
The 0-2 Carolina Panthers are underdogs against the 1-1 Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta has looked like they might cohere into a decent football team through two weeks and have all the motivation they need need to want to ruin the Panthers home opener. Setting aside the usual divisional rivalry, Bryce Young and company spoiled the end of the Falcons 2024 season in a 44-38 overtime thriller that saw Young score five touchdown with zero turnovers.
Young has not turned in that kind of performance in either of his two starts in 2025 and so the odds remain unfavorable for the Carolina Panthers.
Falcons: -4.5 (-115)
Panthers: +4.5 (-105)
43.5 (-105/-115)
Falcons: -230
Panthers: +190
Remember that home-field advantage is traditionally accounted for by spotting the home team—Arizona, in this case—three points on the spread. That means the Michael Penix Jr led Falcons would be expected to win by a touchdown if this was played in Atlanta.
Of course, keeping the game as close as four or fewer points so that the Panthers could at least cover the spread is heavily reliant on the Panthers offense ironing out their kinks. Kinks, mind you, that got a lot more complicated with yesterday’s news that right guard Robert Hunt and center Austin Corbett will miss extended time—if not the entire season—with injuries they suffered against the Cardinals.
The above odds were current as of the writing of this post. You can take a look at—and place a bet on—live odds for this game and more here at FanDuel Sportsbook.
