Black and Blue Review
The Panthers and Falcons have each gotten better since they first faced off this year, but Carolina’s improvement has been steeper. The Falcons went 2-3 after their Week 11 win in Charlotte while the Panthers went 3-1.
A closer look at some general stats reveals more, starting with the offenses:
| OFFENSE | PANTHERS WK 11 | PANTHERS WK 17 | FALCONS WK 11 | FALCONS WK 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total yds per game | 320.8 (25th) | 349.4 (14th) | 369.7 (8th) | 384.2 (7th) |
| Rushing yds per game | 95.4 (27th) | 122.8 (8th) | 97.2 (24th) | 95.7 (24th) |
| Passing yds per game | 225.4 (19th) | 226.6 (19th) | 272.4 (7th) | 288.5 (5th) |
| Sacks Allowed | 31 (T30th) | 41 (22nd) | 18 (t12th) | 25 (T6th) |
| Points per game | 19.8 (25th) | 20.3 (22nd) | 24.3 (13th) | 25.2 (T9th) |
- The Panthers are gaining more yards and scoring at a slightly higher clip, but the real difference is in the run game where they’ve jumped 19 spots in the NFL rankings.
- The Falcons are scoring a bit more, but the only thing that kind of jumps out from their stats is sacks allowed. Each offensive line has solidified, especially over the last month. The Panthers given up eight sacks in their last four games, while the Falcons have given up just two in their last four, and none in their last two.
| DEFENSE | PANTHERS WK 11 | PANTHERS WK 17 | FALCONS WK 11 | FALCONS WK 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total yds per game | 376.8 (25th) | 343.3 (10th) | 404.8 (31st) | 404.4 (32nd) |
| Rushing yds per game | 122.4 (23rd) | 115.3 (19th) | 124.0 (24th) | 113.3 (18th) |
| Passing yds per game | 254.4 (23rd) | 228.0 (9th) | 280.8 (32nd) | 291.1 (32nd) |
| Sacks | 21 (t16th) | 34 (T19th) | 11 (31st) | 21 (T30th) |
| Points per game | 28.1 (29th) | 24.7 (22nd) | 26.4 (24th) | 25.5 (25th) |
- Except for sacks, the Panthers’ defense has posted much better results across the board. All of a sudden they’re top-10 in total yards, and an influx of youth and speed in the secondary has helped the pass defense rise 14 spots.
- The Falcons have shored up against the run, but they remain a mess defensively. They still have the league’s worst pass defense, and if not for a season-high five sacks last week in New Orleans, they’d be stuck at the bottom in sacks.