It’s Bryce Young vs. Bijan Robinson Sunday, but don’t miss defensive undercard

Greg Auman

NFC South Reporter

The big headlines for Sunday’s Panthers–Falcons season opener in Atlanta are the NFL debuts for two of the league’s biggest rookies: Carolina quarterback Bryce Young and Falcons running back Bijan Robinson.

But the undercard not to be overlooked is the two units trying to contain those two phenoms, and two revamped defenses under new coordinators eager to show they’ve taken a big step forward for 2023.

“Our focus is on us,” Carolina linebacker Shaq Thompson said this week, eager to see how the defense looks under new coordinator Ejiro Evero. “We finally get a game where we can play the full game and not really come out. We’re excited to go. I’m excited personally and excited for this team.”

Go back to last season, and the Panthers and Falcons had matching 7-10 records and were both in the bottom third of the NFL in several key defensive metrics. In total defense, Carolina ranked 22nd and Atlanta 27th, and it got worse in other areas. In sack percentage, the Panthers were 25th and the Falcons 32nd; in interception percentage, the Panthers were 28th and the Falcons 24th; and in getting off the field on third downs, the Panthers were 23rd and the Falcons 31st.

Perhaps the biggest area for improvement for both teams? Creating turnovers, where each squad had 10 interceptions and seven fumbles, totaling 17 takeaways in 17 games, low enough to tie for 27th out of 32 teams. Which unit can look prepared and talk each other through the obstacles in the first real test Sunday afternoon?

“I think in any industry, in a team-oriented sport, in a high-pressure, high-performance business, communication and familiarity certainly helps,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “It certainly can be a challenge. … You certainly anticipate the veterans that have been out there, that’s their job, to be ready to go, and that’s the expectation with those guys. That’s what you’re banking on is that experience and the work we’ve put in.”

Atlanta was active in free agency and will have five or six new starters on defense: defensive linemen David Onyemata and Calais Campbell, outside linebacker Bud Dupree, linebacker Kaden Elliss, safety Jessie Bates and cornerback Jeff Okudah, if he’s healthy.

“They’ve done a lot of work to ramp up that defensive front, to affect the passer better, so it will be a good challenge and a test for us up front,” Panthers coach Frank Reich said. “Pretty formidable, when you look at the pieces they’ve added to that defensive front that you would think is going to make an impact. Last year, when you look at their team, statistically, where they were weak was they ranked 31st in affecting the quarterback, in sacks. To their credit, they’ve addressed it. Just like us, they have to see how it all comes together as a unit.”

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Carolina will have new contributors as well: defensive linemen Shy Tuttle and DeShawn Williams, outside linebacker Justin Houston and safety Vonn Bell, meshing with the returning nucleus from last season.

Both teams will break out new defensive schemes. Evero is part of Reich’s new coaching staff, where everything is new, and the Falcons brought in longtime Saints assistant Ryan Nielsen to take over after Dean Pees’ retirement. The game could come down to which defense is able to execute the plan and show how much they’ve learned in the offseason.

Both teams have young defensive stars in line for big contracts, in some cases very soon. Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns, making $16 million on his fifth-year option this year and a free agent next spring, has held himself out of recent practices trying to get a new deal locked up before the season. The Falcons are in a better place with cornerback A.J. Terrell, who has his fifth-year option in place at $12 million for 2024 but is also eligible for an extension now.

“They’ve invested a lot of draft capital in their defense the last couple of years,” Smith said of the Panthers. “It’s certainly paid off. They still have in my opinion have one of the better inside backers in the league in Shaq Thompson. … We are familiar with the personnel. … We know we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Greg Auman is FOX Sports’ NFC South reporter, covering the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He is in his 10th season covering the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having spent time at the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.