Improved Falcons Defense Could Face Wounded Panthers Offensive Line

Losing two starting members of the offensive line puts the Panthers in a precarious position ahead of a matchup with an Atlanta defense that has been good at generating pressure through the first two games of the 2025 season.

In two games against the Panthers last year, the Falcons registered zero total sacks. Atlanta will be looking to change this in Week 3, as they head to Bank of America Stadium with a completely revamped offensive line. 

Hunt is currently Pro Football Focus’s 12th-highest graded guard with a 71.3 grade and has given up just one pressure in two games. Corbett is credited with giving up three pressures and one sack in two games. 

With Carolina now set to be missing two starters on the offensive line, the matchup in the trenches could define this matchup. The Falcons invested a lot into the defense, especially the defensive line, during the 2025 offseason. In Week 2, it paid off, with the Falcons capitalizing against a Vikings offensive line that was not at full health. The Falcons will look to do so again in a Week 3 divisional showdown.

Winning divisional games is vital if the Falcons hope to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Capitalizing on an injured Carolina offensive line would be a great place to start.

In the Falcons' 22-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2, the team had six sacks and 11 quarterback hits. Atlanta is currently fourth in the NFL in quarterback pressure rate, pressuring opposing QBS on 46.3%  of drop-backs. The team is also fourth in sack rate at 10.4%. The team’s seven sacks are currently the third-highest total in the league. 

The Falcons' defense pressured Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy 16 times on Sunday. Atlanta generated pressure on 53.3% of dropbacks, which was their highest rate in over half a decade, since 2018. 

Six different pass rushers had at least three pressures, and three had four. 

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