BREAKING NEWS: Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator has been impressed by the Surprising Evaluation of Carolina Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons will face the Carolina Panthers this Sunday in a rematch of their Week 1 matchup, which the Falcons won 24-10.

Despite the fact that these two teams have already met this season, things are very different 15 weeks in, especially with rookie quarterback Bryce Young.

To truly understand how good a football player is, consider how much their opponents respect them as competitors, rather than the media’s or their own organization’s bias in order to protect egos.

Falcons defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Jerry Gray praised Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton ahead of Sunday’s game in Carolina.

“Well, he’s taken off running a lot more in the last couple of games,” Gray said. “He’s not sitting in the pocket taking those hits.” I know he scrambled for 40 yards last week, which you would never have said in game one because he sat in there and waited for throws. So he’s actually taking off now.”

 

Hearing Gray speak so positively about the No. 1 pick’s progress this season is a bit of a reality check, given that Young has been chastised all season for not being as good as C.J. Stroud, the class’s second quarterback.

Stroud has transformed the Houston Texans into a playoff contender in his first season, while Young’s team has the worst record in the NFL at 1-12, but Gray’s analysis of Carolina suggests Atlanta isn’t taking its opponent lightly.

Following the Falcons’ loss to the Buccaneers, Atlanta now sits in third place in the NFC South and must win in order to keep pace with the division leaders and remain in playoff contention. With three teams in the NFC South currently tied at 6-7, one of them could unexpectedly reclaim the No. 1 seed any week.