Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons: Three Bold Predictions

Playoffs? In my best Jim Mora impersonation. Playoffs? Are you kinding me?
Well, the Carolina Panthers are talking playoffs and postseason and possible top seed in the NFC after teasing the NFL world this season that they were for real.
After beating New Orleans for the NFC South lead, everyone associated with football knew this was the Seattle Seahawks of last season.
Ironically, the Panthers can overtake Seattle for teh top seed in the NFC wth a win over Atlanta this weekend and a Seahawks win and a 49ers win.
The playoff scenarios are a bit less complicated, but the Panthers need a few things to happen to be able to have home field advantage throughout the past season.
The Atlanta Falcons must get up every morning and ask themselves if this is real or are they still liivng a nightmare that has lasted 17 weeks this NFL season?
Nothing has gone right.
Injuries to receivers and running backs, a sliced defense and no hope in sight. Add to it an erratic quarterback and this is a sesaon that just needs to end for this franchise. Whether that is with Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff at the helm next season is unknown. Falcons brass still seem committed to the pair.
Here are three bold predictions for Sunday.
Cam all day
What do the Falcons have to do to stop the hottest quarteback in the NFL not named Peyton Manning? Newton has been the beast everyone thought he would be three years ago when Carolina drafted him. Look for Newton to throw for 350 yards and three scores in this one. Also look for Greg Olsen to tbe beneficiary of this three scores. Newton takes downt the Falcons all by himself.
Kuechly's World
Luke Kuechly has proven he is the next great middle linebacker in the NFL. And in this game, Altanta tries everything to stay away from him.
You cannot stay away from this monster in the middle. Kuechly has 15 tackles, a forced fumble, a sack and stays in the middle of the Falcons' offense all day. He is so active, Atltanta quarterback Matt Ryan asks, "Are you wanting to move down to Atlanta, or something?"
Mr. Smith gets his walking papers
It was supposed to be the right fit that brought a Super Bowl title to Atlanta. Mike Smith's defense with Matt Ryan's arm and a host of receivers including Tony Gozalez that would win and win often. Gonzalez never got to the Super Bowl, never sniffed a ring and in the end, Atlanta and team owner Arthur Bank sees that a change is in order.