Bodog Beat

Panthers QB Jake Delhomme is hoping on a much better game today against the Falcons. (AP Images)

Maybe the Atlanta Falcons are just the tonic for struggling Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme. That would be the same Delhomme who has been responsible for an incomprehensible 11 turnovers in his past two games – obviously Panther losses. The 34-year-old had four picks and a lost fumble in Carolina’s season-opening 38-10 home debacle against the Eagles on the heels of his five picks and a lost fumble in last year’s playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Delhomme’s turnovers led to 24 Eagles points last week, and he was mercifully yanked after back-to-back picks in the third quarter. Apparently there is no QB controversy, although Carolina did sign former Eagle A.J. Feeley after backup Josh McCown was lost to a season-ending injury in last week’s game.

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The Panthers were the NFL’s only 8-0 team in the regular season last year but have been crushed in their two home games since then. So maybe it’s good they go on the road, and maybe it’s good this week’s visit is to Atlanta, which is a 6-point NFL betting favorite on Bodog.

Last year, Delhomme threw for 589 yards and three touchdowns in two games with no interceptions against the Falcons as the teams split – he had a QB rating of 124.8 in a 24-9 Panthers victory in Charlotte and 96.9 in a 45-28 Falcons victory in Atlanta.

Falcons coach Mike Smith says he anticipates Delhomme’s “A game.”

Delhomme was far from the only problem last week. The Panthers rushed for only 86 yards and allowed the Eagles to rush for 185. That discrepancy on the ground can’t happen this week against the Falcons and Michael Turner. In that Atlanta win against Carolina last November, Turner had 117 yards rushing and four touchdowns. In the first game against Carolina, he was held to just 56 yards and didn’t reach the end zone, so it’s little wonder the Panthers won that one.

Atlanta’s defense looked stellar in last week’s 19-7 win against the Dolphins. John Abraham had two sacks and the defense forced four turnovers and held Miami to 259 total yards.

On offense, the Falcons made immediate use of new tight end Tony Gonzalez. He caught five passes for 73 yards and a touchdown – last season, Atlanta's tight ends had an NFL-low 19 receptions and only two touchdowns.

These teams have split the past 10 meetings.

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