STADIUM: Bank of America Stadium
REFEREE: Land Clark
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 2023 GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET FOX: Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth, Kristina Pink SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) ATL: 158 or 380 CAR: 85 or 225
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY REG. SEASON: ATL leads series, 36-21 (won 3 of past 4). THE LAST TIME: REG. SEASON: 9/10/23: CAR 10 at ATL 24.
HEAD COACHES NOTES: Arthur Smith vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 3-2 Reg. Season: 20-27 (.426) Postseason: 0-0. Chris Tabor vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 0-0 Reg. Season: 0-2 (.000) Postseason: 0-0.
ATLANTA FALCONS NOTES:
• FALCONS are 1st team in NFL history to have rookie with 1,000+ scrimmage yards in 3 straight seasons (Kyle Pitts – 2021; Tyler Allgeier – 2022; Bijan Robinson – 2023).
• QB DESMOND RIDDER passed for career-high 347 yards & had 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) last week, his 3rd-career 300-yard game. Ranks tied-4th among QBs with 5 rush TDs in 2023. Aims for his 4th in row with TD pass. Completed 15 of 18 atts. (career-high 83.3 pct.) with TD pass & career-high 111.8 rating in Week 1 meeting.
• RB BIJAN ROBINSON (rookie) had 5 receptions, 88 scrimmage yards (career-high 54 rec., 34 rush) & 4th rush TD of season in Week 14. Leads all rookies in rush yards (790), ranks 2nd in scrimmage yards (1,110) & ranks tied-2nd in scrimmage TDs (7). Had career-high 6 catches, 83 scrimmage yards (56 rush, 27 rec.) & rec. TD in Week 1 meeting.
• RB TYLER ALLGEIER had 2 rush TDs in Week 1 meeting.
• WR DRAKE LONDON set career highs in receptions (10) & rec. yards (172) in Week 14, his 3rd-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Had rec. TD in last road meeting.
• TE KYLE PITTS had 57 rec. yards & 2nd rec. TD of season in Week 14, his 5th-career TD catch. Aims for his 3rd in row with 50+ rec. yards.
• DL CALAIS CAMPBELL had 1st PD of season last week.
• DL DAVID ONYEMATA has TFL in 4 of his past 5 vs. Car.
• LB KADEN ELLISS led team with 10 tackles in Week 14, his 5thcareer game with 10+ tackles. Had 9 tackles in Week 1 meeting.
• S JESSIE BATES had 9 tackles, TFL & PD in Week 14. Ranks 2nd among DBs with 101 tackles in 2023, his 4th-career 100-tackle season. Aims for his 4th in row with PD. Had 10 tackles, 2 INTs & FF in Week 1 meeting.
CAROLINA PANTHERS NOTES:
• QB BRYCE YOUNG (rookie) had 177 yards (137 pass, 40 rush) in Week 14, his 2nd-career game with 40+ rush yards. Has TD pass in 4 of 5 career home starts.
• RB CHUBA HUBBARD had 96 scrimmage yards (87 rush, 9 rec.) in Week 14 & aims for his 4th in row with 90+ scrimmage yards. Has career-high 818 scrimmage yards (644 rush, 174 rec.) in 2023. Rushed for 60 yards in Week 1 meeting.
• RB MILES SANDERS rushed for season-high 74 yards in Week 14. Had 98 scrimmage yards (72 rush, 26 rec.) in Week 1 meeting & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Atl. with 95+ scrimmage yards.
• WR ADAM THIELEN led team with 5 receptions & 74 rec. yards in Week 14. Ranks tied-4th in NFC with 85 receptions this season, 3rd-highest single-season total of his career (91 catches in 2017 & 113 catches in 2018). Aims for his 6th in row at home with 5+ receptions. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 vs. Atl.
• LB BRIAN BURNS had 2 sacks & FF in Week 1 meeting & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Atl. with sack. Has TFL in 7 of his past 8. Is 1 of 4 (Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett & Micah Parsons) with 13+ TFL in each of past 3 seasons.
• LB FRANKIE LUVU had 5th sack of season in Week 14, his 2ndstraight 5-sack season. Aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. Has 4.5 sacks & 5 TFL in 4 career games vs. Atl. & aims for his 5th in row vs. Atl. with 0.5+ sacks.
• DT DERRICK BROWN led team with 10 tackles & had 2ndcareer INT last week. Is only DL with 2 games of 10+ tackles in 2023. Has 7 TFL in his past 4 vs. Atl. & aims for his 5th in row vs. Atl. with TFL.
• CB JAYCEE HORN aims for his 3rd in row with PD.
• S XAVIER WOODS aims for his 4th in a row with PD.
