Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers odds, expert tips, how to watch: The Falcons are heavily favored away from home

The Falcons started as favorites by less than a touchdown, but it's no surprise that the spread has widened considering the performance they delivered on Thursday Night Football and how the Panthers' defense looked against Chicago. Add to that the fact that linebacker Shaq Thompson is out this year and Carolina looks like a dream matchup for Kirk Cousins ​​and Atlanta.

Cousins, who just set the franchise record for passing yards in a game with 509, is among the league's best when he has a clean pocket. Only Jayden Daniels, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen have a better EPA, and the 36-year-old has 975 yards, eight touchdowns and no picks when pressured. He is a liability under duress. On pressured dropbacks, Cousins ​​has thrown five picks and his QB rating drops to 42.8. The problem for Carolina is that they can't apply pressure. They are 23rd in the league there. That ranking drops to 28th when they blitz, and when Thompson isn't on the field, they're demonstrably worse.

This is exactly the type of defense that allows Cousins ​​to thrive, preventing the Falcons' anemic running game from becoming too exposed.

The good thing for Andy Dalton and his offense is that Atlanta's pass rush won't bother him much either. The Falcons rank last in both sacks and pressures despite scoring the fourth-most goals in the league. Dalton should have no trouble moving the ball between the 20s with Diontae Johnson and his other young wideouts, especially when Chuba Hubbard faces a soft run defense.

But the Falcons' defense exacerbated the situation in the red zone, allowing just nine touchdowns in 73 offenses. The Panthers have one of the worst finishing drives, with just six touchdowns in 36 trips inside the opponent's 20. If the overhit succeeds, expect Atlanta to do the majority of the lifting.

All odds from BetMGM. Looking for NFL tickets? Find them here.

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Odds for the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers

Here's how to watch Falcons at Panthers

• Venue: Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte
• Time: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Streaming: Fubo (try for free)

Expert tips for Falcons at Panthers

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(Photo by Darnell Mooney: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)