5 things to know before today's Falcons at Panthers kickoff

2. FREE RODDY ISN'T WORKING: The Falcons have tried to incorporate Roddy White into the offense more, but that hasn't been a solution to the unit's woes.  Atlanta has a passer rating of 56.5 when throwing to White, the worst of any wide receiver in the NFL.

3. MORE TIME FOR JARRETT: Rookie defensive tackle Grady Jarrett had the Falcons only sack last week against Tampa Bay. He had  plus-8.9 grade from profootballfocus.com last week and has improved significantly over the course of the season. He has a PFF grade of +9.1 since week 8 and currently ranks 17th among all defensive tackles.

4. PLAYOFF PICTURE: The Panthers can take a step closer to clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a victory. They are trying to edge out Arizona, which improved to 11-2 with a win over the Vikings on Thursday. The Falcons need a win to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

5. SERIES RECORD: This will be the 41st regular season meeting between the Falcons and the Panthers. The Falcons lead the series, 24-16. The Panthers won the last meeting, 34-3 and earned their second consecutive NFC South title last season. The Panthers have won four of the pass five meetings.

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GAME COVERAGE -- BUCCANEERS 23, FALCONS 19

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