The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2017 playoff teams playing for pride
FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons (5-9) return to action in the NFC South when they face the Panthers (6-8) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
Both teams, after going to the playoffs last season, are fighting through tough campaigns as the Saints (12-2) have wrapped up the division title.
The Falcons snapped their five-game losing streak when they pummeled the Cardinals 40-14 last week. The Panthers, who lost 12-9 to the Saints on Monday, have a six-game losing streak. They started 6-2.
The Panthers have declared that quarterback Cam Newton will be inactive.
“We’ll see how the rest of the season unfolds,” a somber Panthers coach Ron Rivera said.
X-Factor: Taylor Heinicke
Former Collins Hill High star Taylor Heinicke will lead the Panthers against the Falcons. He played for coach Kevin Reach, who’s now at Monroe Area, and guided the Eagles to the Class AAAAA semifinals as a junior.
He went on to throw for 132 touchdowns at Old Dominion before going undrafted and bouncing around the NFL. His first stop was in Minnesota with offensive coordinator Norv Turner. When Turner took the job with the Panthers, he ditched veteran Derek Anderson in favor of Heinicke for the backup quarterback spot
“He has a nice arm,” Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel said.
The Falcons may treat Heinicke as a game-manager.
“This guy, he’s mobile, but he’s not Cam from that standpoint,” Manuel said. “He’s more of pocket passer.”
Manuel doesn’t want to underestimate a player who once passed for 730 yards in a game.
“He has a nice arm,” Manuel said. “If you watch him, (he can throw) touch passes, (he has the) ability to throw the out routes, plays that you ask quarterbacks to make in the league.”
Hot seat: Tevin Coleman
Falcons running back Tevin Coleman is coming off the best game of his career after rushing for 145 yards on 11 carries in his last outing.
He rushed for 107 against Panthers in the 31-24 win on Sept. 16.
The Panthers give up 101.7 yards per game, which ranks seventh in the league. The Falcons average 90.7 yards per game, which ranks 31st.
“Their front is really good,” Falcons Pro Bowl center Alex Mack said. “The defensive line is really stout and big. Everybody knows what they are doing. They can stop the run really well.”
Three key matchups
■ Falcons MLB Deion Jones vs. Panthers RB Christian McCaffery: With Newton out, the Panthers are expected to run their offense through McCaffery, who has rushed 194 times for 979 yards and seven touchdowns this season. He’s caught 94 passes for 768 yards and six touchdowns. In the previous meeting, McCaffery caught 14 passes for 102 yards and rushed eight times for 37 yards. It was the Falcons’ first game without Jones, who’s since returned from a broken foot. “That’s huge,” Manuel said. “Deion has done a good job of coming back ... and being able to cover. In the Green Bay game, he didn’t make the (interception). (Against the Cardinals) he made it and that changed the game. It sparked the team. He has the ability to play in the run and cover is going to help.”
■ Falcons CB Robert Alford vs. Panthers WR D.J. Moore: Alford is coming off a strong showing against the Cardinals. He had a tackle and two pass breakups. Moore, who was the first wide receiver selected in the 2018 draft, has turned in a fine rookie campaign. He has 49 catches for 688 yards and two touchdowns. He also has 13 rushes for 172 yards.
■ Falcons LG Wes Schweitzer vs. Panthers DT Dontari Poe: Poe, who left the Falcons for a three-year, $27 million contract, hasn’t had much of a impact with the Panthers. He’s had 16 tackles and one sack. He does keep the guards off middle linebacker Luke Kuechly.
QB Corner: Matt Ryan
■ On the Panthers defense: “Their defense is playing really well. But that’s been the case with them for a long time. They have a lot of talented players, a really good front-seven, some linebackers that are great tacklers and they play sideline to sideline and they cover ground both in the run game and in the pass game.”
■ On Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly: “He’s physically gifted. He is very athletic, he runs really well, he’s physical. He has a great ability to shed blocks, to get off of blocks, and avoid contact so he can free himself up to make tackles. He is a very sure tackler. When he gets on you, he brings guys down.”
■ On Kuechly’s ability to read offenses: “He has a knack for diagnosing what an offense is doing and getting them into the right defense or the right pressure to be successful. I’ve never obviously been in a week of preparation with him, but I’m sure he’s excellent when it comes to getting himself prepared to go play a game.”
About the Panthers
■ Ron Rivera took over in 2011 and has posted a 70-55-1 record. He took the Panthers to Super Bowl 50.
■ The Panthers are in danger of missing the playoffs after starting the season 6-2.
■ This will be the 48th meeting. The Falcons lead the series 29-18 and won the last meeting 31-24 on Sept. 16.