The Atlanta Falcons are feeling pretty good about the start to their season, but defensive shortcomings are a concern.That could be just the tonic for a strangely sluggish offense for the Carolina Panthers.The teams meet Sunday afternoon at the Georgia Dome, with the Falcons anticipating an agitated opponent.Plenty of us to shine a light on to improve on, Falcons coach Dan Quinn said despite back-to-back victories. Were building toward that. We have a lot of work to do.The Falcons rank first in the NFL in offense by scoring 34.7 points and gaining 448 yards per game. It has been a good blend of rushing and passing, with quarterback Matt Ryan completing more than 70 percent of his passes to go along with seven touchdowns with only one interception.Every time we go against them, theyre physical, Ryan said of the matchup with the Panthers. Were going to have to play our best football.Carolina is coming off a 22-10 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings. They enter the game in Atlanta having not scored for more than 50 minutes.It just cant happen, Panthers coach Ron Rivera said of the inconsistencies. We have to hone in and be more thorough.Carolina receiver Kelvin Benjamin went without a reception and had only one ball throw his way against the Vikings after a two-touchdown outing the previous game, and quarterback Cam Newton vowed to have Benjamin more involved.Theres one thing Ive learned, if Cam says hes going to do something hes sure going to try to do it, Rivera said after learning of his quarterbacks midweek comments.Games in his hometown of Atlanta naturally take on more significance to him, Newton said, and his teams early struggles are bringing on added frustration.They dont care about Carolina, he said of the Falcons. Were 1-2. We just cant get into the rhythm of winning. It is frustrating. ... We have to take that personal challenge that we have to be better.The Panthers were so out of sync on the offensive line that Newton was sacked eight times by the Vikings.Its tough seeing him go down anytime, Panthers offensive guard Trai Turner said. You never want to see your quarterback go down.Newton wasnt going to blame his offensive line and brushed off the problem while turning the focus ahead.Just pressure recognition and get the ball out of my hand, Newton said. Ready to take on the challenge from Atlanta.But if the Falcons have shown shortcomings the past couple of weeks it has come in their pass defense. Plus, Atlantas defense has notched only three sacks all season and that might account for why the Falcons have given up a fair share of big plays through the air.The explosive passes, that has to come down, Quinn said. A couple of cases they were mental (mistakes).The Panthers, though, have various ways to move the ball on the ground and thats why they rank third in the NFL with an average of 146 rushing yards.This is a tough outfit, Quinn said of the Panthers. It really (starts) off their run game. They have a number of packages they feature, and their quarterback is involved.The Falcons had so many contributors in defeating New Orleans 45-32 on Monday night that Quinn is calling for a carryover of that type of team work.As a coach, thats what pumps you up, Quinn said. You play as a whole group, a whole unit. Youre pulling for one another. When you play team ball like that, thats what fires me up.Adding to the efficiency, Atlanta wasnt called for an offensive penalty.The Panthers brought back defensive tackle Kyle Love, who had started two games last year, this week to add to the interior pressure. While that gives Carolina another pass rusher, its also something for the Falcons to consider.Theyre a very aggressive front, so every chance we get were going to have to attack, Quinn said.It will be the third matchup against a NFC South foe this season for the Falcons, who lost their only previous home game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Quinn said the early schedule of divisional opponents heightened the importance of these games.Another chance for us (now) at home with our crowd here, he said.It suddenly looks like a crucial game for the Panthers, whove lost three of their last five regular-season games dating to last season. Carolina had its perfect season halted last December in Atlanta after winning its first 14 games on the way to winning the NFC championship.Im trying to get to 2-2, Newton said. Last year is over with.The Falcons also arent putting much emphasis on what happened almost nine months ago.Each week and each season to me is new, Quinn said. The important part of us is that we recognize this as a division game.For Carolina, the Falcons are its most-played opponent, with Atlanta leading the series 25-17. This seasons rematch wont come until Christmas Eve. Red Sox Jerseys 2019 . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. Stitched Red Sox Jerseys . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. https://www.cheapredsox.com/ . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Boston Red Sox Store . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Boston Red Sox Pro Shop . Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. That means that Marc Bartra will probably start again in the centre of the defence alongside Gerard Pique.Lewis Hamilton has admitted there is genuine friction between him and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. The Silver Arrows pair have repeatedly clashed over the last two years - most noticeably when they collided during the 2014 Belgian GP and when an emotional Rosberg memorably threw his cap at Hamilton following the US GP last year - after being pitched into an exclusive fight for the world championship courtesy of their field-leading machinery.Hamilton and Rosberg were boyhood friends but their relationship has buckled under the strain of their title battles and the reigning world champion has conceded the perceived antipathy between them cannot be dismissed as media invention. Asked by the official F1 website if the friction with Rosberg was reality or media hype, Hamilton replied: It is there. But it is a small fire that everybody pours a lot of gasoline on to make it bigger. And then, of course, also me and Nico, we unintentionally pour more gasoline on to the fire depending on who is winning a race.So it is real - a real competition. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton takes his dog for a walk in the paddock on a hoverboard But where is the line drawn between competition and conflict? Mercedes have already warned both of their drivers that unless they learn to co-exist then the team would have to consider changing their line-up. However, Hamilton and Rosberg may have additional motivation to forge a constructive working relationship in 2016: the anticipated surge from Ferrari. I hope it is not purely a Lewis and Nico show - I hope Ferrari gets involved in that show and that we will have fierce competition beyond me and Nico, said Hamilton. Ferrari have set the fastest time in the opening exchanges of winter testing while Mercedes have focused on strengthening the reliability of their new car. Many in the paddock believe Rosberg remains the dark horse in the championship battle having won the final three races of the 2015 season. But according to Hamilton, Rosberg had it good in the final month of the season when the world champion, by his own admission, switched off after securing his third title.I did not do the bare minimum, but I did what I needed to do to finish the year, reflected the 31-year-old. I didnt do what I had to do to win the championship because I already had won the championship. If you fight for the championship you have to bring that extra five or ten per cent - after I had bagged the title I didnt need that anymore. I used my energy elsewhere. But now my sole focus is again on winning the title - but Nico also has grown, so I have to accept that he is exceptionally fast and so I also have to lift my bar again. I dont know how - but that is my goal. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton completed 156 laps on day one of the first Barcelona Test, watch some footage of him on track in the W07 While the rest of the field has effectively been in hibernation over the winter, Hamilton has remained a high-profile figure on the front and back pages.dddddddddddd While bristling at the suggestion he should be considered a celebrity, Hamilton offered no objection to the observation that he is the only F1 driver to understand that the sport is part of the entertainment industry and made this fascinating reply when asked to identify the the crossover between the sporting and show business sides of F1.F1 is a show. Fans are fascinated by the energy of the fight, said Hamilton. Sure, they would also like to do what we are doing, but that is of course illusion - it is a bit like watching people in space: none of us will ever go to space. So where it meets is that we are still human beings - just like them - but in a way the projection is that we are some sort of higher species. That makes it a show. A lot of beautiful girls should be here, there should be music, and bands should perform. It should be a big spectacle just like the Super Bowl. Lewis Hamilton popped into the Sky Sports studio during the 3rd Quarter of the Super Bowl In addition to attending the Super Bowl, as well an exhaustive number of music and fashion award ceremonies, Hamiltons winter activities are understood to have including recording a music album. But the F1 world champion is adamant that Hamilton the musician is not set to overtake Hamilton the racing driver either in profile or priority. Let me say it bluntly: this here - F1 - is what I know how to do best, he said. Yes there are also other things that I do really well, but nothing compares to that. I know that and accept it. All the other things I enjoy. Who knows, if one day my stuff is good enough you will hear it. Every race live in 2016 Sky Sports F1 brings you every race live in 2016. Fast and easy online upgrade - click here The first race of the 2016 F1 season, the Australian GP, is exclusively live on Sky Sports F1. The race in Melbourne starts at 5am on Sunday March 20. Also See: Watch: Lewis on a hoverboard! Watch: Hamilton in the W07 ' ' '