The Carolina Panthers are coming off a brutal loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They want to put this right and finish their season on a high versus the Atlanta Falcons in their regular-season finale.
The Falcons look a bit different than the first meeting between these two teams earlier in the campaign. Last meeting was a battle of the grey beards, Andy Dalton and Kirk Cousins. This time the contest features two young signal callers as Bryce Young goes toe-to-toe with rookie first-rounder Michael Penix Jr.
The Falcons are still fighting to get into the playoffs and win the NFC South, although they need other results to go in their favor. The Panthers have their pride to fight for and will look to put together a complete game to end their season on a high note.
Here’s what Carolina has to do to earn a win in Atlanta.
Reasons the Carolina Panthers will beat the Falcons in Week 18
Carolina Panthers defense will contain the Falcons' run game
It’s no secret that the Carolina Panthers run defense is horrendous. They have given up a whopping 2,830 rushing yards in 17 games. They also give up the highest yard-per-carry average with 5.1.
The Panthers' defense will most likely become the defense that has allowed the most rushing yards in one season in NFL history this weekend. If the Falcons rush for 65 or more yards, Carolina will own a record that no one wants to be a part of.
With Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier on the field, the Panthers' odds of not setting that record don’t stand a chance as they’ve allowed an average of 176.9 rushing yards per game.
Robinson is pretty much elite at this point in his career. He has tallied a total of 1,286 rushing yards so far in 2024. Allgeier is no slouch either as he has produced 592 yards on the deck. The Panthers' run defense has been performing worse as of late, giving up several 200-plus rushing yard games from opposing offenses.
It will be an uphill battle for the Panthers' defense to contain the Falcons' two-headed monster in Robinson and Allgeier. If they’re somehow able to limit the Falcons to under 160 rushing yards, the chances of Carolina going out with a win are much higher.