CHARLOTTE — Now that it's July, we're officially in the ramp-up to training camp and the start of the 2025 season.
So now's a good time to catch up with the Panthers' opponents this year and see what they've done this offseason to impact this year's matchup.
We'll go through these in order, so stay tuned for our breakdowns of the whole schedule.
OPPONENT: Atlanta Falcons
All-time series: Falcons lead 37-23 overall (Falcons lead 21-9 in Atlanta, Falcons lead 16-14 in Charlotte).
Last year: The Falcons took a 38-20 win in Week 6, with running backs Tyler Allgeier and Bijan Robinson combining for 200 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
The Panthers returned the favor in Week 18, taking a 44-38 overtime victory on Miles Sanders' game-winning touchdown. Bryce Young accounted for five touchdowns, running for two and throwing three, including the now-legendary no-look job to Tommy Tremble.
2024 rankings and results
Record: 8-9
Total offense: 6th
Total defense: 23rd
Personnel moves
Key additions in free agency: Extended LT Jake Matthews, re-signed CB Mike Hughes, added DE Leonard Floyd, DT Morgan Fox, S Jordan Fuller, TE Feleipe Franks, CB Keith Taylor, LB Divine Deablo
Key additions in the draft: DE Jalon Walker, DE James Pearce, S Xavier Watts, S Billy Bowman.
Changes from last year: The Falcons were aggressive in trying to upgrade the defense, so much so that they didn't even send their offensive coaches to the combine after finishing 31st in the league in sacks with 31.0 (one behind the Panthers). But adding one of coach Raheem Morris' trusted agents in Floyd (66.5 career sacks, 8.5 last year for the 49ers), using their first-rounder on Walker, and trading next year's first to get in position for Pearce meant they're as close to all-in as they could be with limited cap room this offseason.
One of the biggest changes isn't a change at all — yet. QB Kirk Cousins is still there, though that could change at any point. The Falcons made the switch to rookie Michael Penix Jr. last year and are building around the 2024 first-rounder, so Cousins is surplus to requirements and could be traded before the start of the season. But that hasn't happened yet.
What to watch for in 2025: Panthers-Falcons games always tend to get weird early and stay that way, but these two teams are at similar places in their building cycles — full of exciting offensive parts around a young quarterback.
The Falcons invested a lot of capital to upgrade their pass rush, so the Panthers bringing back an intact offensive line — all five starters from last year and their top four backups — will be a big benefit when they see each other. Walker and Pearce, meet Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton, you guys will get to know each other well.
If the shootout Penix and Young conducted in last year's finale is an omen, these games could be exciting for years to come.
Re-live the best moments from the Panthers' thrilling 44-38 win over the Atlanta Falcons to close out the 2024 campaign.
