Mohamed Bughrara
Falcons (4-4) at Panthers (2-7), Thursday 8:15 p.m.:
In the first meeting, the Falcons’ secondary struggled against the Panthers’ wideouts and running attack. The home run strategy should perform more effectively than it did in Atlanta, stopping the rush and getting a boost from a determined P.J. Walker, who resumed the starting quarterback role. Marcus Mariota will continue to ride Atlanta’s tidal wave in order to keep the team below .500.
Cowboys (6-2) at Packers (3-6), 4:25 p.m.:
Inside the homecoming of former Green Bay Super Bowl-winning coach Mike McCarthy, Dallas is unexpectedly more than field-goal favorites at Lambeau Field. McCarthy’s Cowboys continue to win huge games and won’t back down here after a bye, without Dak Prescott having any restrictions against a frail and depleted Packers defense.
Aaron Rodgers, on the other hand, will be under attack from Micah Parsons and the haunted Cowboys defense, but he’ll keep things interesting by going deep with his passes in the fourth quarter.
