Why 'Crazy' Falcons Win Over Panthers Can Be a Turning Point
Through eight games, the Atlanta Falcons hold a 4-4 record - good enough to put them in sole possession of first place in the NFC South.
The last time the Falcons sat atop the division at this point in the season was 2016, when they proceeded to run through the NFC in the playoffs before that Super Bowl.
This year's Falcons team has a lot of fight and shouldn't be counted out from anything, but it's highly unlikely that they'll manage to repeat the 2016 team's success.
But that's not the point.
Atlanta's 37-34 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium was a critical game for the 2022 Falcons, a team - and regime - trying to establish a new identity.
Preseason expectations were low - to the extent where analysts were projecting the Falcons to be 2-15. While that always seem harsh, the playoffs remained a distant afterthought.
But with Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers losing five of their last six and the New Orleans Saints struggling under a new head coach-quarterback duo, the door for the division crown swung wide open.
All Atlanta had to do was beat Carolina, who sat 2-5 with an interim coach and third string quarterback and just traded its best offensive player.
And yet, Sunday's game proved to be a difficult one, as NFL games often are, especially within the division. After running back D'Onta Foreman ran in a 12-yard touchdown with three minutes to go, the Falcons needed a touchdown to win ... and marched down the field to do exactly that.
Atlanta's defense needed to get a stop ... and did exactly that. And still, after dodging seemingly the biggest bullet of the day, the Falcons had another one coming ... and then another after that.
After having a 34-28 lead with 15 seconds to go and 62 yards between Carolina and the endzone, the Falcons were an Eddy Piniero extra point away from a heartbreaking home loss.
Ditto after quarterback Marcus Mariota threw an ill-advised interception intended for Damiere Byrd in overtime, setting up a short field goal from Piniero that sailed wide left.
By all accounts, the Falcons gift wrapped the game for the Panthers several times, but when Carolina failed to capitalize, Atlanta ultimately managed to make the plays when they needed to down the stretch, coming away with a much-needed home victory in what was arguably the most important game of the season.
Post-game, the most common word thrown around each locker room was "crazy" - as in, a wild, never-before-seen experience on the football field.
"That was one of the crazier games I've ever been a part of," Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. "Happy to get the win any way we can, but I think I got a little grayer today."
In a winner-take-first place game within the NFC South, the Falcons had to have Sunday's game - and they got it, even at the expense of Smith's hair color.
With a loss, especially in the heartbreaking fashion that appeared to be on the way, Atlanta would be forced to regroup and move on, but with a significant missed opportunity behind them.
Instead, the Falcons walked away victorious, and the momentum and belief gained from games like that can permeate for weeks to come.
The difference between 3-5 and 4-4 is only a game, but don't tell the Falcons that - especially when Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot are trying to build a winning culture where every game matters.
Against all odds - from preseason 2-15 to Sunday, allowing the Hail Mary to the missed extra point to the Mariota interception to the missed field goal - the Falcons have the division lead through eight weeks.
The box score doesn't come with pictures, and Atlanta's victory certainly wasn't the prettiest showing, but in the end, none of it mattered - and the Falcons simply have the battle scars to show the grit and resilience that's embodied the team all year.
Divisions can't be won in Week 8, but games like Sunday can go a long way come December and January. Apart from the end result, Atlanta walked away key possessions: control, and confidence.
In a league where everything changes from week to week, the Falcons control their own destiny moving forward ... which isn't half bad for a team picked to go 2-15.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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