The Carolina Panthers will travel to Atlanta where they will have the daunting task of facing the 3-0 Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome.
The Falcons will have too many weapons in this game; Matt Ryan, the Falcons' defense and the home crowd disrupting Carolina's play calls.
Before getting into Ryan's 2012 season, let's talk the Falcons' defense.
They have been on a roll through the first three weeks of the season. They have the most interceptions in the NFL, which balances out the fact that they will give up over 330 total yards a game. They are also tied for No. 10 in the league with seven sacks and they have only allowed 16 points a game, good for fourth in the league.
Ryan is growing into one of the top quarterbacks in the league. He has the highest passer rating and almost been perfect throwing eight touchdowns and only one interception. Only Ryan Fitzpatrick and Ben Roethlisberger have thrown more touchdowns than Ryan.
With all of this being said, the Panthers will not have a chance against the Falcons. Let's face it. The New York Giants stifled the Panthers last week. The Falcons have a better defense than the Giants, so imagine all the damage they can cause with their secondary.
We all know where the ball is going, Steve Smith deep and Greg Olsen will get a diet of short passes for first downs. The Falcons tortured Peyton Manning two weeks ago, and Cam Newton's style of quarterbacking will be his weakness against a defense like the Falcons'. Because their rushing game has struggled, the play action is not a viable option for the Panthers.
Newton and the Panthers have the eleventh best passing game in the league, but they have the third worst scoring average in the NFL.
Prediction: 27-10 Falcons in this one. Matt Ryan will feast on the Panthers' secondary. Falcons stay perfect through Week 4.
OTHER WEEK 4 NFL PREDICTIONS:
NFL Predictions Week 4 49ers vs. Jets: Can New York Upset San Francisco?
NFL Week 4 Predictions Patriots vs. Bills: New England Will Break Losing Streak
