All four teams in the NFC South lost their first game of the 2026 season, leaving the Carolina Panthers tied with their three division rivals going into Week 2.
They'll be visiting the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday—and as pathetic as the NFC South is, it's pretty close to a must-win scenario for both teams. Although the Panthers were able to overcome it last year, an 0-2 start to the season is typically a death knell for playoff hopes.
On paper, the Panthers look like the better team right now—especially given Atlanta's heinous quarterback situation. However, at least one analyst is expecting the Falcons to pull off an upset win.
Pete Prisco at CBS Sports is projecting a four-point win for Atlanta. He writes:
The Panthers were mauled on defense last
week by the Bears. This Falcons offense isn't close to that. But I think they will just hand it to Bijan Robinson to keep the Panthers off the field. Falcons win it behind Robinson's big day. Pick: Falcons 21, Panthers 17
While we disagree, there is some logic to this pick. For one thing, Carolina's defense was atrocious in the season opener against Chicago, allowing a franchise-record 59 points. Meanwhile, Atlanta's defense was surprisingly sharp, posting the second-best EPA in the league Week 1 against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Then again, the quarterback dynamic is so imbalanced in the Panthers' favor that it will be hard for the Falcons to overcome.
In Week 1, it was career backup Cooper Rush who got the start—even though he was suffering from back spasms - and apparently still is. Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa is sidelined by an oblique injury and Michael Penix Jr. doesn't feel comfortable enough to return to the field yet after suffering an ACL tear, the third of his career, last November.
The only healthy quarterback on the Falcons' roster right now is undrafted rookie Jack Strand, who did look impressive during the preseason. However, at the moment, it looks like Atlanta plans to start Rush again—despite him posting two interceptions and a 2.6 QBR in last week's loss to the Steelers.
Place your bets accordingly.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL analyst picks Falcons to upset Panthers in Week 2
