How to Watch Panthers vs. Falcons: TV Channel, Live Stream, Time

The Carolina Panthers visit the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Both teams enter at 0-1, with Carolina coming off a 37-59 loss to Chicago and Atlanta off a 13-20 loss at Pittsburgh. Carolina’s offense put up volume in the opener. Bryce Young threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns with one interception, and Jalen Coker added 138 receiving yards and two scores. Atlanta leaned on Bijan Robinson in the loss at Pittsburgh. He ran for 83 yards and added 90 receiving yards and one touchdown, while Cooper Rush passed for 143 yards. The Panthers are 2.5-point favorites over the Falcons, with a total of 43.5 and a moneyline of -140 for Carolina and +119 for Atlanta. Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game. How to Watch Panthers vs. Falcons Players To Watch Carolina enters this matchup with the more explosive passing game through one week, and Young is the clearest reason why. In the season opener, he threw for 353 yards and three touchdowns, finishing with a 107.5 passer rating as the Panthers piled up 478 total yards and 37 points. The contrast with Atlanta’s defensive profile sharpens the assignment. The Falcons allowed 20 points in their opener and recorded two sacks, so Young’s ability to stay efficient against a defense that was sturdier than Carolina’s Week 1 opponent could shape the whole game. Continued downfield aggression is how Carolina forces Atlanta to chase. For Atlanta, the offense needs a steadier center of gravity, and Robinson already looked like that in Week 1. He led the Falcons with 83 rushing yards and also led them in receiving with 90 yards, accounting for 173 of the team’s 238 total yards. That kind of dual role makes him the most important skill player on the field for Atlanta. The matchup gives him a real chance to tilt things. Carolina gave up 59 points in its opener and ranks near the bottom of the league in points allowed per game, while Atlanta’s passing game managed only 118 yards and a 51.9 passer rating in Week 1. Robinson’s workload as a runner and outlet target could be the cleanest path to keeping the Falcons on schedule and out of obvious passing downs. On the perimeter, Coker stands out because he already showed he can turn Carolina’s passing volume into game changing production. In the opener, he posted eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns, giving Young a big play target who can stretch a defense and finish drives. This game also puts pressure on Atlanta’s coverage unit in a different way than Young does. The Falcons defended five passes and held their opener to 20 points allowed, but Carolina’s receiving attack is coming in near the top of the league in yards per game through one week. Early wins and another explosive play or two from Coker open the field for everything else. Atlanta’s quarterback spot is one of the biggest swing factors in this game, and Rush is the player to watch because he started and led the Falcons in Week 1 while presumptive starter Tua Tagovailoa deals with an injury. Rush threw for 118 yards and one touchdown, but he also had two interceptions and finished with a 51.9 passer rating in the loss. His importance here comes from the opportunity in front of him. Carolina’s defense was hit hard in the opener, allowing 59 points and 353 passing yards, so this is a chance for Atlanta’s passing game to look far more functional than it did a week ago. Rush does not need to light up the scoreboard to matter. He needs to protect the ball and hit enough throws to keep Robinson and the rest of the offense from carrying the full load alone. Panthers vs. Falcons Odds Check out the full NFL schedule on FOX Sports.