Will the Panthers get their first win against the Falcons? Our predictions
Can the Carolina Panthers emerge from the winless doldrums in Week 3?
That’s what they’ll try to do this weekend in Charlotte when they take on the Atlanta Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday in Bank of America Stadium for the first time in the 2025 season.
And the short answer is: It could be tough.
The Panthers have begun 0-2 for the fourth consecutive season, with a blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and an oh-so-close failed comeback loss to the Arizona Cardinals to their collective name. The Falcons, meanwhile, are 1-1 after a dominant win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football.
These teams are trending in different directions, no doubt. Still, the two have split their season series in each of the last five seasons — the Falcons swept the Panthers in 2019 — and the most recent matchup resulted in Carolina’s thrilling overtime win in the 2024 season finale.
Bearing all this in mind, Observer reporters Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow teamed up with Observer columnist Scott Fowler to deliver you The Observer’s predictions on the Panthers’ Week 3 contest.
Check out our thoughts below. Also listed is how to watch the game on TV, how to listen to it on the radio and what the sportsbooks say.
Panthers make Xavier Legette inactive
Panthers receiver Xavier Legette, who was limited in practice this week with a hamstring injury, is listed as inactive. He is still on the field.
Full Panthers inactive list:
- WR Jimmy Horn Jr.
- WR Xavier Legette
- C Nick Samac
- TE James Mitchell
- OLB Patrick Jones Jr.
- DT Tershawn Wharton
How to watch on TV, listen on radio
Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Fans everywhere can watch the game on FOX.
Fans in Charlotte can listen to it on the radio on the 99.7 FM The Fox, featuring Anish Shroff as the play-by-play guy; Jake Delhomme and Luke Kuechly as analysts; and Kristen Balboni as sideline reporter. Check the Carolina Panthers Radio Network for full local listings.
You can also, of course, listen to the show on Spanish Radio at WXNC 97.3 FM / 1060 AM, with hosts Jaime Moreno and Antonio Ramos.
Betting information for Panthers-Falcons
The Panthers opened as 5.5-point underdogs against the Falcons, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under total opened at 43.5.
The Panthers are 1-1 against the spread this year; they were 7-point underdogs to the Cardinals and only lost by 5. The Falcons, too, are 1-1 against the spread.
Our game predictions
Fowler is 2-0 in his predictions on the year, better than Kaye’s 1-1 record and Zietlow’s 0-2 record. Credit to Fowler for his seasoned skepticism and Kaye for his discipline to not throw good money after bad. Zietlow could learn a thing or two from them.
Here’s who we have in Week 3.
Scott Fowler: Panthers 26, Falcons 23. This is just a hunch. Yes, I am a seasoned skeptic, but it’s no fun to be skeptical all the time. Lastly, I’m offering my two predicting colleagues a chance to catch up by picking this upset. So.... Bryce Young gets going, Tetairoa McMillan scores his first NFL TD and the Panthers squeak by Atlanta, avoiding the 0-3 start.
Mike Kaye: Falcons 24, Panthers 20. Carolina REALLY needs this one. But I’m not sure they get it. The Falcons have an improved pass rush, and their offensive running game feels like a mismatch for the Panthers’ defense. After starting the season with back-to-back losses, the Panthers add another to the pile, this time at home, to start 0-3. Things could get pretty tense around Mint Street after this one, especially if the offense continues to hand over the ball for points.
Alex Zietlow: Falcons 31, Panthers 20. Yes, the Panthers and the Falcons seem to split their contests each year. And yes, the Panthers have yet to not be even on the turnover battle. And SURE, if there’s ever a time to invest in the Panthers — when their stock is the lowest — it’s now. But with Bijan Robinson bludgeoning much better run defenses ... and with this pass rush recently sacking Vikings’ JJ McCarthy six times Monday ... predicting a Panthers win just doesn’t make much sense. The Falcons are legitimate NFC South contenders, and they make that statement this week.
This story was originally published September 21, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
