CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Friday, Carolina Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera said the team still planned to fly Saturday to Atlanta for Sunday’s game with the Falcons. However, that plan could change depending on the track of Hurricane Florence, which made landfall on the North Carolina coast Friday morning.  If the team doesn’t fly, they will take a bus to Atlanta Saturday.

• Both the Panthers and Falcons are dealing with injuries
• The team signed veteran tackle Chris Clark this wee
• The Panthers take on the Falcons in Atlanta Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

Both the Panthers and Falcons are dealing with injuries. Atlanta announced Friday that starting running back Devonte Freeman will not play Sunday. This week the Falcons already placed two Pro Bowlers on injured reserve -- safety Keanu Neal and linebacker Deion Jones.

Carolina meanwhile, ruled out tight end Greg Olsen (foot), guard Trai Turner (concussion), and receivers Damiere Byrd (knee) and Curtis Samuel (medical illness) for Sunday. They also placed All-Pro right tackle Daryl Williams on injured reserve this week. It means when the Panthers take the field Sunday, they’ll have only one of their projected starters on the offensive line in center -- Matt Kalil.

Who the Panthers will start around Kalil is not entirely known. Rivera would not tip his hand Friday when speaking with the media on who will play. The team signed veteran tackle Chris Clark this week. But he’s had no training camp plus he’s trying to learn the system in a week. Even so, he could still start Sunday. The question is will Clark play at right or left tackle. Rivera conceded Clark is better suited to the left side. If he plays there it could likely mean a group of Clark, Greg Van Roten at left guard, Kalil at center with Amini Silatolu at right guard and Taylor Moton moving from left to right tackle.

“He’s got to get used to the pushing and shoving and bumping and stuff like that again,” Rivera said of Clark. “But he’s an older vet too. It’s not like he hasn’t been working out.”

Rivera is confident in who they have to play on the offensive line Sunday. Quarterback Cam Newton was asked if he was concerned about the situation up front.

“This is the National Football League where I don’t think 32 teams in a year in the history of the football season has all not had injuries,” said Newton. “It’s an unforgiving game at times, but at the same time you just have to roll with the punches and make do.”

The Panthers take on the Falcons in Atlanta Sunday at 1:00 p.m.