It's no secret that the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers have been in rebuilding mode the past two seasons, and Sunday's clash in Atlanta figures to be an interesting barometer for how far each team has come.
Last season, Atlanta had the third-best rushing attack in the NFL and averaged 159.9 yards per game. Only Chicago (177.3) and Baltimore (160.0) averaged more yards in the league.
In contrast, Carolina averaged only 306.2 yards of offense per game, which ranked 28th in the league.
Both teams had their moments defensively, but the Falcons (362.1 yards per game) and Panthers (350.