The Atlanta Falcons want a quick begin. The boldness increase that might come from a 1-0 document, the long-term divisional benefit of getting a 1-0 document to kick issues off within the NFC South, and the notion worth of knocking off a rival en path to the primary 1-0 begin since 2017 could be an enormous, large deal.

Standing in the way in which of these affordable hopes and desires? The Carolina Panthers, the staff that lurks as maybe the strongest 2024 and past risk for the Falcons, however a staff prone to want time to seek out its means. The Panthers are hoping they’ve their long-term teaching workers and franchise quarterback, however the nice re-tooling of a roster that (additionally) simply completed 7-10 remains to be a piece in progress. The Falcons would appear to have the expertise benefit on paper, however video games should not performed on paper, and NFC South matchups at all times have the potential to go wildly off the rails.

Let’s take a second to appraise the Panthers and this Week 1 matchup, which can check Atlanta’s mettle and present us if this staff is straight away prepared for primetime. Right here’s what you must know concerning the matchup forward.

2022 rankings

The Falcons and Panthers had pretty related seasons, which could have been why their matchups had been so chaotic. Each didn’t flip the ball over ceaselessly however struggled on protection and boasted lackluster passing assaults paired with efficient speeding assaults; the distinction was that the Falcons had been somewhat bit higher offensively and somewhat bit worse defensively. They even had equivalent numbers of turnovers surrendered and compelled in 2022, so it was not shocking to see the information additionally wanting equivalent on the finish of the season. The Falcons simply had a bit extra stability to look ahead to than Carolina, who tore all of it down on the finish of the season.

The excellent news for each groups is that they changed their lackluster quarterback choices and bolstered their offenses considerably; the dangerous information for the Panthers is that their expertise degree outdoors of quarterback simply isn’t on the identical degree as Atlanta’s. Extra on that in a second.

How the Panthers have modified

Immensely.

Carolina was an ever-shifting staff final yr, with Matt Rhule getting fired, quarterback adjustments and trades aplenty, and so forth and so forth. A franchise that made lots of dangerous, dumb selections—as a fan of a franchise that has made loads of dangerous, dumb selections, I can say that—now has to dig their means out of the enormous gap they’ve created for themselves.

The excellent news, from Carolina’s perspective, is that they’ve a stable headstart. They managed to rent Frank Reich, who really began a number of video games for them of their preliminary season, as their new coach, and he’s a particularly stable rent who was railroaded in Indianapolis. They traded fairly a bit to go get Bryce Younger, who regardless of his Tremendous-Mario-before-the-mushroom measurement has all of the instruments it’s essential to be a high quality quarterback on this league. They usually re-tooled the roster as a lot as they may, making an attempt to pare underachieving gamers and provides the brand new teaching workers choices they like.

What’s that each one going so as to add as much as? For the 2023 season, the Panthers could also be in an analogous place to the 2022 Falcons: Bettering by way of the on-field product with out really exceeding the earlier yr’s win complete. I’m particularly doubtful about Carolina’s enhancements on offense, the place they’re relying on good well being and massive contributions from rookies and gamers who want to enhance considerably to boost the ground and ceiling of one of many league’s extra forgettable 2022 offenses. They’ll get there finally if Younger is any good, as he needs to be, however the early returns are unlikely to be fairly.

For the lengthy haul, although, the energy of the teaching workers and the great bones of this roster make Carolina a possible risk to the Falcons for years to come back within the NFC South. That makes this primary matchup between two new-look groups intriguing each right here and now and as a preview of what may grow to be a extra vital rivalry quickly.

What to find out about Sunday’s sport

The Panthers offense has potential, but in addition extra query marks than Riddler’s pajamas. Younger is a dynamic expertise who shall be throwing to a receiving corps made up of choices coping with harm (D.J. Chark, Terrace Marshall) and comparatively unproven gamers (rookie Jonathan Mingo, Laviska Shenault). Hayden Hurst and Miles Sanders at tight finish and operating again, respectively, might soak up extra targets in opposition to Atlanta, which additionally is sensible with the Falcons’ linebacker group being somewhat little bit of a query mark. It’s laborious to think about a gaggle with this many query marks placing on a fireworks present in opposition to Atlanta, so will probably be a superb—however shouldn’t be a strenuous—check of the Falcons’ protection. There simply isn’t sufficient right here but, particularly with some suspect hyperlinks alongside the offensive line, to really feel like Carolina’s offense goes to come back out of the gate prepared to attain 25 factors.

On protection, in fact, issues are somewhat totally different. The Panthers are recent off a reasonably underwhelming season by their requirements, ending middle-of-the-pack in commonplace metrics like yards and scoring and racking up one of many highest penalty totals within the NFL. That is an absurdly gifted group nonetheless, with Brian Burns and Shaq Thompson offering move speeding punch most desires can solely dream of whereas Jaycee Horn, Dontae Jackson, and Jeremy Chinn present a bedrock basis for the secondary. There are holes right here—I’m not precisely bought on a rebuilt line of defense outdoors of Derrick Brown—but it surely’s a superb protection that ought to make Atlanta’s life troublesome.

And the Falcons themselves? We’ve spent an offseason speaking about them, however they’re successfully matchup-proof as a run sport with Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, and a line that was absurdly good at paving the way in which a yr in the past. The passing sport is much less sure, and thus I’d count on the Falcons to attempt to bludgeon Carolina early and sometimes on the bottom and blend in some pictures for Desmond Ridder to get comfy, just like what the staff tried to do early on with each Ridder and Marcus Mariota a yr in the past. Defensively, it’ll be about harrying Younger (which they’re higher geared up to do) and limiting large performs downfield (which needs to be doable with Carolina’s offensive points). It’s a simple matchup for the Falcons, who simply have to play their most popular sport with out too many errors to have a good chance of successful this one. Historical past favors them, even when historical past typically terrifies us.

That is in some ways an excellent first sport for Atlanta, because it pits an improved squad in opposition to a scrappy divisional rival they ought to beat. It’s all about how scorching the Falcons begin and the way actual their 2023 enchancment is, and Carolina is simply gifted and well-coached sufficient to steal one away if the Falcons are gradual and sloppy to start the yr. Make no mistake, although: This needs to be the daybreak of a brand new period in Atlanta, and they need to begin 1-0 for the primary time in an extended whereas.