The rematch between the Falcons as the Panthers will have some added star power.
Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones and Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, who both missed the first game Oct. 11, could play when the teams play at 8:20 p.m. Thursday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Jones, who’s battling a hamstring and hip injury, is cleared and not listed on the game report, while McCaffrey’s status is up in the air. He returned to practice this week, but was not activated Wednesday. The Panthers have until 4 p.m. Thursday to make the move.
Since beating the Falcons 23-16, the Panthers have fallen on hard times, losing subsequent games to the Bears (23-16) and the Saints (27-24). The Falcons have posted a 1-1 mark with a victory over the Vikings (40-23) and a loss to the Lions (23-22).
The Panthers have noticed some differences in the Falcons under interim coach Raheem Morris.
“I think obviously a lot of the DNA is the same,” Carolina coach Matt Rhule said. “They are doing some different things. ... We know it’s going to be a heck of battle, and coach Morris, he’s putting his stamp on it. It looks like the guys are buying in and doing a great job.”
Rhule, a first-year NFL head coach, is preparing for a team in the short week for the first time.
“I think in the first game there are probably plays on each side of the ball that we probably didn’t get to,” Rhule said. “I think you come out of the game and you say, ‘Hey, I would do this the same. I would do this differently.’ You also recognize that their team is evolving. We’re evolving. So, it’s a mixture of what we did the first time. What happened in the game and the two games for each team since.”
The Panthers, who released veteran cornerback Eli Apple on Tuesday, must prepare for Jones.
“Julio playing, we think he’s played great,” Rhule said.
The Falcons are getting ready to face McCaffrey, the All-Pro running back.
“You have to have some stuff ready for him, whether he’s ready to go or (if he’s) a maybe, whatever the case may be,” Morris said. “We have some familiarity with Christian McCaffrey, what he can do and how he can do it. If he plays, it won’t be a shocker for us.”
The Falcons expect the Panthers to double-team Jones. They noted that the Panthers double-teamed Chicago wide receiver Allen Robinson.
“There’s a little bit of map that’s been laid out there,” Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said. “Mike Thomas didn’t play for the Saints last week, so they didn’t double as much against the Saints.”
The Falcons are expecting the Panthers, who play a bend-but-don’t-break style of defense, to have a cornerback underneath Jones and a safety over the top in zone coverage. They also believe Jones will attract two defenders when the Panthers play man-to-man defense.
The Falcons are coming off rushing for a season-low 66 yards against the Lions. They rushed for a season-high 166 yards in the previous meeting with the Panthers.
“We hope to replicate it for sure,” Koetter said.
Running back Todd Gurley rushed 14 times for 121 yards and a 35-yard touchdown against the Panthers.
“On Todd’s long touchdown run, that would have been about a 10-yard gain, but Todd made the safety miss,” Koetter said. “So, a 10-yard gain turned into a 35-yard touchdown.”
The Panthers are annoying on defense.
“The way they make you play, to get big plays on these guys you are going to have to either break some tackles, split a zone in the pass game,” Koetter said. "You catch a ball, and you’re able to split through two defenders.
“They are a zone team. They are a drop-eight team. They play cushion with their corners. They try to not give you big plays down the field. You’re just going to have to be patient and when time comes, you take advantage of it the best that you can.”
The Falcons had three drives of double-digit plays against the Panthers (10, 14 and 10). Those drives ended in a touchdown, a field goal and an interception.
“You have to be patient, and you can’t let things go by the wayside because you’re not going to get the ball very much because their offense controls the ball, too,” Koetter said. "We had (eight) possessions.
"That’s way under a normal game of which you would get, so hopefully we don’t turn it over and we get some (turnovers). They force you to be patient. I think we did do a good job of that last time, but you have to finish with touchdowns.”
Falcons' next four games
Falcons at Panthers at 8:20 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29
Broncos at Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8
Bye Week
Falcons at Saints at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22
Las Vegas Raiders at Falcons at 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 29
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