Panthers vs. Falcons Final Score Prediction for NFL Week 18 (Atlanta Will Choke in Must-Win Game)

Iain MacMillan | Jan 3, 2025

The Falcons are big favorites in a must-win game against the Panthers on Sunday. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons have one more chance to make it into the NFL Playoffs. If the Saints are able to upset the Buccaneers and the Falcons can beat the Panthers, Atlanta will be crowned NFC South champions.

If either of those things don't happen, their non-playoff streak continues at least another season.

Let's take a look at the latest odds for this NFC South showdown and then I'll predict the final score.

Panthers vs. Falcons Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

• Panthers +8 (-110)
• Falcons -8 (-110)

Moneyline

• Panthers +340
• Falcons -440

Total

• OVER 48 (-108)
• UNDER 48 (-112)

The Falcons opened as 7.5-point favorites. The spread ballooned to Falcons -8.5 but has since come back down half a point and has settled at Falcons -8. The total for the game has decreased by half a point from 48.0 to 47.5.

Panthers vs. Falcons Final Score Prediction

In this week's edition of the "Road to 272 Bets", I broke down why I think the Falcons are going to fall short once again:

The Falcons need to win this game, but at the end of the day, I have no interest in laying eight points on them in this spot. The Panthers' offense has figured something out in recent weeks and should be able to move the ball well, especially considering how much Atlanta has struggled to figure out mobile quarterbacks. Bryce Young will move the ball both with his arm and legs and will look more comfortable against the Falcons than he did in either start last year.

Michael Penix Jr. looked good in his first two starts of the season, but let's remember this is still his third-ever start and there will be hiccups along the way. I'm not as comfortable enough with him to lay eight points on this team against a feisty Panthers squad.

When it comes to the total, I'm going to take the OVER. While I'm betting on the Panthers because my lack of total faith in Penix in his third career start, I still believe he'll be able to do enough against a bad Panthers defense to contribute to the total. I think the Panthers edge this one out in a high-scoring affair.

Final score prediction: Panthers 31, Falcons 27

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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