Posted on 11/11/2007 1:38:22 AM

Bet on Football - Falcons +4 at Panthers –4

By Russell Edward

The very fact that, take away the three points for home field advantage and the Panthers would only be favored by one point over the free-fall Falcons tells you the dire straits that this Carolina team is in. The biggest reason that the NFL betting experts who make the lines have this game so close is that the Panthers seem to have forgotten about the one player that just might help them win a game; Steve Smith has just 5 receptions for 33 yards in the past two games. In both losses, the Panthers managed to put up just seven points each time.

It is really too bad for the Panthers that Jake Delhomme went out so early. David Carr is looking more and more each week like a true NFL bust, and not just one due to the poorness of his offensive line in Texas. He is getting sacked every 9.5 pass attempts on average, while the other quarterbacks for the Panthers this season are hitting the dirt every 20.9 pass attempts. This is no fluke stat. Unfortunately for Carolina, their rushing game, while not bad, is not nearly enough to compensate for the lack of skills they bring to the passing game table.

The play that will decide whether or nor the Panthers can cover this football betting line of being four-point chalks will come on special teams. Right now, the Panthers are allowing opponents to beat them in the field position game. Their kick coverage is atrocious and if the Falcons break one, the resulting field goal that will more likely come out of it (just hard to imagine Atlanta scoring touchdowns, although it does seem to happen), could be the difference between the Panthers winning this game by six or seven points, or the Falcons covering.

Considering the fact, as well, that both Carr and backup Vinny Testaverde are both one good hit from the rubbish bin, and things do not look good for this team. Even against a paltry Falcons squad with little heart, but coming off a win over the weak-wristed 49ers, taking away four points is a little too much to stomach.

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