With the news that Carolina quarterback Cam Newton will be inactive on Sunday, the Falcons went from 3-point underdogs to 3-point favorites on Wednesday, according to The Action Network.

The Panthers (6-8) will host the Falcons (5-9) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The Falcons have been eliminated from the playoffs, and the Panthers have a less than a two percent chance of advancing to the postseason.

Backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke will get his first NFL start against the Falcons. Heinicke, 25, who played at Collins Hill High in Gwinnett County, had a 730-yard passing game in 2012 as a sophomore at Old Dominion.

Newton has been battling a shoulder injury all season.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks Kirk Cousins (right) and Michael Penix Jr. listen to instructions during minicamp at the Atlanta Falcons Training Facility on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Flowery Branch, Ga. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

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Apartment complex community members look at the stuffed animals, snacks and drinks that rest at the base of a basketball goal with balloons in memoriam of Ja’Nylen Greggs in Atlanta on Friday, June 20, 2025. The apartment complex community is mourning 12-year-old Greggs after he was killed in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting. (Abbey Cutrer / AJC)

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