NFL Announces Kickoff Time for Falcons-Panthers, Entire Week 18 Slate

After the Atlanta Falcons lost to the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, the NFL announced when the team will host the Carolina Panthers for the season finale in Week 18.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

After blowing a 10-point halftime lead at Washington, the Atlanta Falcons have again fallen out of a playoff spot. But they can still make the postseason during the league's final week of the regular season.

In Week 18, the Falcons will host the Carolina Panthers. Late Sunday night, the NFL announced that game will occur at 1 pm ET on January 5.

In addition to winning, the Falcons also need the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to lose to the New Orleans Saints to make the playoffs. The Buccaneers will host the Saints at the same time on January 5.

Obviously, there should be plenty of scoreboard watching at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Interestingly, it's possible that fans at home will be able to watch both games at the same time.

The Falcons-Panthers matchup is set to be on CBS, which is rare for an all-NFC showdown. But there are more NFC games on the final day of the 2024 regular season because the two Saturday showdowns on ESPN will involve the four AFC North teams.

The Saints-Buccaneers showdown will be on FOX. Whether that game will air opposite Falcons-Panthers in the Atlanta market will be announced late this week.

If it isn't, Falcons fans with the NFL Sunday Ticket package on YouTube will still be able to watch both games simultaneously.

The Falcons have won eight games this season, which is more than any year since 2017. However, they are also trying to secure their first postseason berth since 2017.

Raheem Morris' club was 6-3 at the beginning of November, but they have lost five of their past seven games. The Falcons are 1-1 since switching to rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

With a victory, the Falcons will secure their first winning season since 2017. But the fan base will still likely view the campaign as a failure if the Buccaneers also don't lose to get the Falcons into the playoffs.

At the midway point of the season, the Falcons held a 2-game lead and the tiebreaker over the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay has erased that lead by winning five of six games since its bye week.

If the Falcons make the postseason, it will be as the NFC South winner. That means they will host a playoff game in the first round.

The Falcons cannot earn a postseason berth as a wild card team. The Washington Commanders clinched the final NFC wild card spot with their victory against the Falcons on Sunday night.