(Betting Express) - After opening the season with a three consecutive victories, the Carolina Panthers have dropped three straight games. John Fox's club will look to get back on the winning track on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome.

The Panthers took a 13-0 lead into the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys last week before giving up two late touchdowns en route to a heartbreaking 14-13 loss. But the game wasn't the only thing the Panthers lost. Starting quarterback Rodney Peete, who completed 9-of-15 attempts for 84 yards and a touchdown in the first half, will miss the next month with a knee injury. Second-year quarterback Chris Weinke will take over as the starting quarterback.

"I'm excited to be back in there," Weinke said. "It was exciting to get back in the action last week. I was obviously disappointed with the outcome, but it's important for me to get ready this week and have a good showing."

The Panthers will go with former Heisman Trophy winner Weinke for the time being while the veteran Peete mends his knee. Weinke actually looked sharp in his season debut a week ago, completing 7-of-12 passing attempts for 114 yards, but the team blew a 13-point lead under his command. While he was disappointed about the loss, the Florida State product believes the team will be better this year under his direction.

"Any time you run an offense for a longer period of time, you're going to feel more comfortable," Weinke said. "I haven't had the reps to say, 'Yes, I can go in there with total control.' But my job is to continue to get better and continue to show in the week of practice that I can get it done. I feel comfortable and confident in what I can do, and I'll be ready to go.

"There are a lot of things that you learn. Just watching Rodney and the way that he approached practices and the games and the way that he manages games and the decisions he makes. That comes from a veteran guy, and to sit back and watch that is going to help me in terms of my decision making on Sunday."

Weinke will have a new weapon at his disposal very soon. Rookie running back DeShaun Foster, who has yet to play a down in the NFL, has started practicing with the team again. Even though he probably won't play this week, the former UCLA star will help the team in the near future.

"When you've been out since training camp, it takes a while, but I've got fresh legs right now so I'm going to try to help out the team," Foster said. "[My knee] feels as good as it's going to get."

Even if Foster doesn't play this week, ex-Dolphin running back Lamar Smith has been doing a fine job as Fox's feature back. Smith has been a work horse for the Panthers, carrying the ball 139 times for 494 yards and six touchdowns. His efforts have led the Panthers to an average of 116.2 yards per game on the ground.

This week, the Falcons will probably use eight men in the box to stop Carolina's running attack, and that will force Weinke to win the game with his arm. Weinke has more tools than Peete, but he is also prone to tons of mistakes that the veteran quarterback would never make. Depending on how much Weinke learned during his six-week understudy, he could be ready to get the Panthers back in the win column.

Another positive for Weinke is that he is playing behind a much improved offensive line this year. The Panthers' line has been instrumental in the success of the running game, and the unit has also done a good job protecting the quarterback, allowing just 12 sacks thus far.

COMING UP: The Panthers return home to Ericsson Stadium in Week 8 to host the Tampa Bay Bucs.