Week 8 Thursday Night Football Betting Breakdown: Falcons vs. Panthers


SI Gambling Insider Frankie Taddeo takes a look at the odds for the Thursday Night NFC South tilt between the Falcons and Panthers.

After crushing the sportsbooks through the first seven weeks of Thursday Night Football, the Vegas Whispers sharps will now look to improve upon their amazing 10-1 wagering record on the mid-week highlighted game. The action will kick off with an NFC South battle when the Atlanta Falcons (1-6 SU; 2-5 ATS) travel to Bank of America Stadium to take on the Carolina Panthers (3-4 SU; 4-3 ATS). The Panthers are currently 2.5-point home favorites with a total sitting on the game at 50.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers

Moneyline: Atlanta (+110) | Carolina (-125)

Spread: ATL +2 (-110) | CAR -2 (-110)

Total: 51.5 Over: (-110) | Under: 51.5 (-110)

Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

Game Info: Thursday October 29, 2020 8:20pm ET / 5:20pm PT | NFL Network

On the offensive side for Atlanta, fantasy owners will want to get QB Matt Ryan, RB Todd Gurley, WRs Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones as well as TE Hayden Hurst into their starting lineups. Gurley, in his first season in Atlanta, has rejuvenated his career playing in Atlanta and emerging as a solid RB1. Expect the Falcons to try and get Gurley going early and often after his posting double-digit PPR efforts with seven rushing touchdowns in five of seven games this season. The possibility of solid production in the passing game could present itself on Thursday night from emerging star WR Calvin Ridley who has 16.7-plus PPR fantasy points in six of seven games. Keep an eye on Julio Jones (hip), as he is shaping up as a true game-time decision after being limited in practice earlier this week.

On the Carolina side, fantasy owners will want to get QB Teddy Bridgewater, RB Mike Davis and WRs D.J. Moore and Robbie Anderson into their starting lineups. Ranking just outside the top-15 QBs Bridgewater, who has thrown six touchdowns in three of the last four games, and has been a reliable option for all fantasy owners in need of a streaming option the last several weeks. Facing an Atlanta defense that is allowing the most fantasy points to opposing signal callers leads to a high ceiling for Bridgewater in Week 8. Obviously, the entire NFL will be looking to see if star RB Christian McCaffrey is able to return the ankle injury that has kept him out of the lineup since Week 2. His return would obviously have an adverse effect on the production of RB Mike Davis.

Nearly 69 percent of all wagers to come in on the Thursday night contest have come in support of Carolina. The line, which opened at 3-points in favor of the Panthers last week in Vegas, has since dropped down to Carolina as less than a full field goal home favorite. The total which opened in Vegas at 51 has bounced around a bit down to as low as 49 before settling back up to the original opening number.

The Falcons will be looking to rebound from a heart-breaking 23-22 loss to the Lions in the final seconds last week, while the Panthers will be looking to get back into the win column after their 27-24 loss to the Saints. The Falcons, who are 0-4 on the road thus far in 2020, will be looking for their first win away from home and will have revenge on their minds after falling to the Panthers 23-16 back in Week 5.

Atlanta has owned Carolina of late winning 8 of the last 10 SU and ATS dating back to 2015. To get the OFFICIAL Vegas Whispers play on the game as well as Player Proposition wagers from the "Propnosticator" once they are released, become a member of SI PRO and start "Beating The Book" today!

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Over the entire 2019 NFL postseason the Vegas Whispers sharps absolutely crushed the sportsbooks going 7-0 ATS and the information is currently 42-28 in 2020 on released NFL Plays. On Thursday Night, the sharps are 10-1 ATS in their plays shared here at Sports Illustrated. The information straight from Frankie Taddeo, Sports Illustrated’s Gambling Vegas Insider, finished the 2020 Major League Baseball (MLB) at 79-60-0 +16.66 units and is currently 13-8 ATS (62%) on NCAA College Football for all SIPRO members.