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NFL Week 8 Thursday Night Football: Panthers Vs. Falcons Schedule, Odds, Picks

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The midway point of the 2020 NFL season has arrived with Week 8 about to start. It begins with the NFC South, one of the most competitive divisions this year, taking center stage when the Carolina Panthers host the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football. This will be the final regular season matchup between these rivals, with the Panthers now seeking a sweep after going on the road and stealing a victory in Atlanta in Week 5. Carolina was an underdog in that contest, but oddsmakers have installed them as a slight favorite for the rematch after they dispatched the Falcons by a 23-16 margin less than three weeks ago, an outcome that spurred Atlanta to fire former head coach Dan Quinn.

The Panthers opened as 2.5-point chalk in Week 8, but most bookmakers have adjusted that line down to CAR -2. The public is siding with the home team, evident by 62% of all bets made against the spread on the Carolina side, but shops have shifted the spread towards Atlanta due to sharps liking the ‘dog tonight. The handle, which is currently split 56%/44% in favor of the Panthers, is also showing that more big bets have been made on the visitors. The total on this Thursday Night Football game opened at 51.5 and hasn’t moved at all despite some lopsided public action. 57% of the tickets and 68% of the money staked is on the over, another betting trend that indicates the wise guys are making a contrarian play to start Week 8.

Some expected this primetime affair to herald in the triumphant return of Carolina’s star running back Christian McCaffrey, who has been sidelined since suffering a high ankle sprain back in Week 2. While the Panthers did designate McCaffrey to return from injured reserve on Tuesday—beginning a 21-day window to activate him—they have reportedly decided to hold the 24-year-old out as a cautionary measure, dealing a blow to an offense that has struggled mightily in the red zone—converting just 52% of their chances to touchdowns, the fifth-worst mark in the league—during the 2020 NFL season. Mike Davis, who has been filling in for McCaffrey at a respectable level over the last five games, will once again get the nod as the team’s starting running back. Davis is coming off an ugly, 36-yard performance against the rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week—a squad that has swallowed up rushers this year, allowing an NFL-best 66 yards per game on the ground—but could get back to form in Week 8. Davis averaged an impressive 101.6 yards from scrimmage and scored six touchdowns in his first four starts for Carolina and now faces a vulnerable Atlanta defense that has given up the second-most yards in the league and allows nearly 30 points per game to the opposition.

Will the Panthers find a way to get back on track after losing back-to-back games by beating Atlanta tonight, or will the Falcons get revenge on their NFC South rival while also securing their second win in three weeks after starting the 2020 NFL season with five consecutive losses? Pro handicapper Jon Price of SportsInformationTraders.com has a take on tonight’s game that you will not want to miss. Before seeing who the Vegas expert is picking to win and cover the spread, have a look at the schedule, start time, updated odds, betting trends and much more for Week 8’s Thursday Night Football matchup between the Panthers and Falcons.


Thursday Night Football Week 8: Atlanta Falcons (1-6) at Carolina Panthers (3-4)

Schedule

Kickoff Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

TV: FOX, NFL Network

Live Stream: FOX Sports GO, Amazon Prime Video

Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC



Betting Trends

Carolina has been the stronger side to bet leading up to Week 8 of the 2020 NFL season, compiling 3-4 SU and 4-3 ATS records compared to Atlanta’s marks of 1-6 SU and 2-5 ATS.

The Falcons have won and covered in five of their last six meetings with the Panthers. It is worth noting, however, that their only SU and ATS loss to this foe since the end of the 2017 season occurred in Week 5, when Carolina bested Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium by a 23-16 margin as 2.5-point underdogs.

The scoring has tended to skew relatively low when these NFC South rivals meet on the field, with 11 of the past 15 matchups going UNDER the total, including their meeting in Week 5. For the 2020 NFL season, Atlanta has seen four of its seven games land OVER the total, while Carolina has had three of its seven eclipse the number.

These squads match up relatively evenly on paper, with the Panthers boasting the NFL’s No. 25 scoring offense (23.1 PPG) and No. 13 defense (24 PPG), compared to the Falcons with the No. 13 scoring offense (26.3 PPG) and No. 26 defense (29.6 PPG). Atlanta does fall at the bottom of the league in total defense (No. 31, 425.9 YPG), but ranks just outside the top five in total offense (No. 6, 401 YPG). Carolina is more balanced, ranking No. 13 in total defense (351.1 YPG) and No. 16 in total offense (369.1 YPG).

Underdogs are 5-1 on Thursday Night Football during the 2020 NFL season.

Teams playing on Thursday Night Football that are coming off a loss and home favorites of three or less points are 10-2 SU and ATS over the last 12 matchups that fit that criteria.

Atlanta is 6-1 ATS across its last seven road games.

The Falcons are 8-21 ATS over their last 29 games in the month of October.

The Panthers are 6-10 ATS in their last 16 games as a favorite and 10-14 ATS in their last 24 games as a home favorite.


Thursday Night Football Injury Report

Carolina’s decision to keep star back Christian McCaffrey on the pine is the biggest injury news related to this Thursday Night Football contest. The Panthers will also likely be forced to go without starting left tackle Russell Okung, who exited last week’s game against the Saints in the second half after suffering a calf injury. The Falcons had receivers Julio Jones and Russell Gage limited all week, but both are expected to suit up for the club’s primetime matchup this evening. Here’s the latest injury report for both squads via Panthers.com:

Thursday Night Football Weather Report

Weather conditions for this Panthers-Falcons Week 8 matchup aren’t expected to be optimal for offensive production. Forecasts are calling for rain all through the day and likely throughout the duration of the game, although it could wind down as the contest progresses. Winds will be gusting over 20 MPH, which may impact how coaches approach kicking strategy tonight. Here is a look at the hour-by-hour report, courtesy of Accuweather.com:


Thursday Night Football Week 8 Media

Allan Bell found that both the Falcons and Panthers have performed abysmally in their recent Thursday Night Football appearances:


Jeremy Fowler reported that Atlanta isn’t rushing former first-round pick Takk McKinley back to action, noting the franchise reportedly sees the defensive end as a trade chip and is in talks to move the fourth-year pro before the deadline:


Falcons star wideout Julio Jones said he is not concerned about what type of defensive looks he’ll be facing and claimed he will be able to make plays regardless of whether or not he is doubled up in coverage (via AtlantaFalcons.com):

“Defenses tend to swing their defense and things like that based on if I play or if I don't play. Going into the game, we've just got to see that. We've got to exploit more of it if they're going to double me, if they're going to pay attention to me with two guys. When I go into a game, it doesn't matter if you double me. It doesn't matter if you play Cover 2, 3, 4-kick, 11-B, 11-plug. For me it doesn't matter, I can adjust on the fly. Just my presence, like I said, those other guys can go out there and win their matchups. I mean, I'm never out of the fight, don't get it wrong, now. Even though they are doubling me, I'm trying my best to get open and also make plays down the field.”


The Falcons posted some of the team’s all-time highlights in this NFC South rivalry on Twitter:


The NFL honored Carolina safety Jeremy Chinn as the Defensive Rookie of the Month after the second-round pick accumulated 30 tackles, four pass defenses and an interception over the past four games:


Panthers Uniform Tracker noted that Carolina is just 3-9 all-time in black jerseys and pants:


Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater complimented wideout DJ Moore—who is seventh in the league in receiving yards despite sharing targets with Robby Anderson, the NFL’s No. 2 wideout by the same metric—praising the emerging receiver for picking up a new offense so quickly in his third year as a pro (via Panthers.com):

“I think DJ is doing a great job of just grasping all the information that we're throwing at him. All of this is still new to a lot of people, so for a lot of us, they're not making excuses or anything. We want to keep finding ways to get these guys involved, all of our guys, and allow them to be in the best position to make plays to help us win."


Thursday Night Football Week 8 Pro Prediction

Pick: Falcons +2

Prediction: Falcons 24 – Panthers 21