4 Falcons players the Panthers must do better against in Week 8

Todd Gurley – RB

Todd Gurley had a tremendous game earlier this season versus the Carolina Panthers. The running back was able to make his presence felt in no uncertain terms against a suspect run defense that remains an area of significant concerns.

Gurley managed to accumulate 121 rushing yards and a touchdown from just 14 carries in his previous outing against the Panthers. His contribution also included four catches for 21 receiving yards.

The player is on a road to redemption after being cut by the Los Angeles Rams this offseason. But Gurley is also looking to right last weekend’s wrong where he somehow rolled into the end zone for a score that gave the Lions one more possession to go up the field and get the points needed for the unlikeliest of wins.

This sort of mental error is something that has been prevalent in Atlanta ever since their Super Bowl collapse to the New England Patriots. Gurley is made of strong stuff, so there is every chance he can atone for this mistake against a defensive unit that is giving up 124 yards-per-game on the ground.

The former first-round pick has 485 rushing yards and seven touchdowns this season. Gurley is a threat the Panthers need to take seriously and a better plan needs to be in place in pursuit of thwarting his potential impact.