Panthers Listed as 3-Point Dogs vs Falcons After Ron Rivera Firing
- The Carolina Panthers fired head coach Ron Rivera on Tuesday
- The 5-7 Panthers have lost four in a row and five of their last six games
- Carolina is a three-point underdog in Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons
Ron Rivera is out at head coach of the Carolina Panthers. For the second season in a row, the Panthers spiraled downward in a midseason tailspin. This time, it cost Rivera his job.
Losers of four straight and five of their last six games, the final straw for Rivera was Sunday’s 29-21 loss as 10-5-point home favorites to the 2-9 Washington Redskins.
Carolina is 12-16 since David Tepper purchased the franchise in 2018. He indicated that he wasn’t interested in long-term mediocrity.
The firing has already impacted the odds on Sunday’s Panthers-Atlanta Falcons game. Sportsbooks list Atlanta as three-point favorites in the Panthers vs Falcons odds. Atlanta opened as low as the 1.5.-point chalk in some betting lines.
Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Panthers | +135 | +3 (-115) | Over 47.5 (-110) |
| Atlanta Falcons | -155 | -3 (-105) | Under 47.5 (-110) |
Odds taken Dec. 3.
Secondary coach Perry Fewell was promoted to interim head coach by Carolina.
Rivera Slip Slides Away
At 76-63-1, Rivera is the winningest coach in Panthers history. He guided them to a club-record 15-1 campaign and a berth in Super Bowl 50.
Perhaps that explains how he survived the free fall of 2018.
Breaking: The Carolina Panthers have parted ways with head coach Ron Rivera, the team announced Tuesday.
Secondary coach Perry Fewell has been named interim head coach. pic.twitter.com/ATgk7uvkKY
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 3, 2019
Last season, Carolina opened 6-2. Then the Panthers lost seven in a row and finished 7-9. Speculation was strong that Rivera was done. Tepper opted to give him another shot.
Again, 2019 began with promise. The Panthers were 4-2 after six games. They’ve won just one game since.
Panthers, Falcons Star In Trading Places
Three weeks ago, when the Falcons whipped Carolina 29-3, there was a coach on the firing line. But that coach was Atlanta’s Dan Quinn, who’d lost six in a row before posting back-to-back wins over the New Orleans Saints and Panthers to save his hide.
Who had Ron Rivera losing his gig before Dan Quinn might? pic.twitter.com/iC4mMM12qq
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) December 3, 2019
The Panthers have lost three home games this season to teams with losing records. They’ve allowed a franchise-worst 22 rushing touchdowns.
Falcons Couldn’t Be Finer Against Carolina
New coach. Old coach. Doesn’t matter. Even good Panthers teams seldom beat the Falcons. And Carolina almost never wins at Atlanta.
With #Panthers coach Ron Rivera out, secondary coach Perry Fewell was named interim head coach. OC Norv Turner will transition to special assistant to the head coach, and QB coach Scott Turner will serve as offensive coordinator. … Major changes in Carolina.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 3, 2019
The Panthers have lost four straight there, and nine of 11. Carolina is 1-5 against the spread in its last six games at Atlanta. Straight up and ATS, the Panthers are 1-7 in their last eight against the Falcons.
Pick: Atlanta Falcons (-3)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
