On the heels of their home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Atlanta Falcons are now set for another pivotal NFC South test as they will clash with the Carolina Panthers in Week 14.

The Falcons dropped to a 1-3 record against NFC South opponents this season following the double-digit defeat to quarterback Tom Brady and the Buccaneers last week. From their red zone woes to the inability to contain the Buccaneers' high-octane passing system, it was a performance that sure must have been scrutinized from top to bottom by Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.

Atlanta is set to take on a Carolina team that has had quite a roller-coaster season. While the Panthers pass defense has shined on a weekly basis this year, the carousel at the quarterback position has marred the team's campaign.

Even as the Falcons head into Week 14 two games under the .500 mark, their aspirations at a return to the playoffs are still alive. Still, they will need to achieve each of these four feats against the Panthers this week in order to not only pick up a crucial win over a divisional opponent but also to get back in the conversation for a wild-card spot in the NFC.

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Atlanta Falcons Week 14 Predictions

4. Kyle Pitts becomes a focal point of the Falcons offense

Falcons rookie tight end Kyle Pitts sure is in need of a potent performance after stringing together several underwhelming showings.

The former Florida Gators star shined a couple of months ago with back-to-back 100-plus receiving yard performances against the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. Since then, he has not had much success in opening up the offense for quarterback Matt Ryan.

The upcoming clash with the Panthers could be just the opportune time for Pitts to get back on track in his rookie campaign. However, he will be in for a grand challenge against a Panthers pass defense that has allowed 176.7 passing yards per game, which ranks second in the league. His last encounter against Carolina came in Week 8; he recorded a mere two receptions for 13 receiving yards over the game.

The Falcons need Pitts to make the most out of his targets this week if they aim to clinch their second divisional win of the year.

3. Matt Ryan posts a vintage performance against a familiar foe

Over the course of his storied career, Ryan has had his fair share of success against the Panthers. Overall, the veteran quarterback has totaled for 40 passing touchdowns to go along with a 94.5 passer rating in 27 career matchups with Carolina. He has also come away with 17 wins in such games.

However, the script has flipped as of late for Ryan. The one-time NFL MVP winner has combined for a mere one passing touchdown in Atlanta’s last three games against Carolina.

If the Falcons aspire to pick up what would be one of their biggest wins of the season, Ryan must turn back the clock in Week 14. This may be quite a task for him considering the recent struggles from the Falcons offensive line in protecting him coupled with the Panthers’ sheer prowess in picking up timely stops on third downs.

2. Falcons turn around their red zone woes

Much was expected out of Smith to revamp the offense into being one of the more efficient teams in the NFL when it comes to scoring touchdowns in the red zone. However, this has been far from the case.

The Falcons currently rank 19th in the league in red zone touchdown percentage with a lowly 58.3 percent, as they have scored touchdowns on 21 out of their 36 trips to this area of the field.

Whether it may be Pitts or wide receiver Russell Gage, someone will need to step up for Atlanta in the red zone in Week 14.

1. A.J. Terrell once again wins the battle against Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore

The last time that the Falcons and Panthers met, cornerback A.J. Terrell put on a clinic in the secondary. Terrell was matched up with Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore for much of the contest. Overall, the wideout came away with a mere two receptions for 22 receiving yards in targets covered by the second-year cornerback.

Terrell is expected to once again shadow Moore this week, and the end result should mirror his standout showing from Week 8.

Even as he has not garnered much acclaim this season, Terrell has been orchestrating one of the most potent breakout seasons by a cornerback in recent memory.