Panthers-Falcons Preview

Last week was the first time Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith played together in a full year, and while hopes were high for the two to connect again, well, they just didn’t. After a loss to Minnesota last week, the Panthers have licked their wounds and found their rhythm, gearing up for Sunday’s game against the Falcons. In last year’s regular season matchup between the two teams, Carolina safely beat Atlanta 27-20, even though Delhomme injured his right elbow during the game that eventually put him out for the final 13 games of the season.

This Sunday, the Panthers have Michael Turner and rookie quarterback Matt Ryan to worry about. Forget the whopping 12 penalties Carolina got flagged with last week; if the Panthers want to beat this 2-1 Atlanta team they’ve got to do everything right, including frustrating Ryan and stopping Turner. An ex-Charger, Turner has been on fire since being released from the shadows of LaDainian Tomlinson, even setting a Falcons record with 220 yards rushing in the season opener. The all-star duo of Delhomme and Smith have another chance to match the magic the Falcons can produce, so let’s hope it all comes together this week (finally!)

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