Panthers vs. Falcons: Atlanta wins 37-34 in Overtime
First place in the NFC South will be up for grabs when the Atlanta Falcons host the Carolina Panthers at 1 p.m.
The Falcons had a chance to get over .500 last week but couldn’t get much going in a 35-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 22.
Marcus Mariota completed eight of his 13 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. 75 of those yards came on a touchdown pass to Damiere Byrd.
Tyler Allgeier had 16 carries and rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Atlanta lost its top cornerback A.J. Terrell to a hamstring injury in the first quarter against Cincinnati and he’ll be out against Carolina. Injuries to Casey Hayward and Jaylinn Hawkins have the Falcons’ secondary in dire straits heading into the divisional matchup.
Despite trading away Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson, Carolina turned in its best performance of the season in a 21-3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In his first start of the season, P.J. Walker completed 16 of his 22 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. The Panthers also had a big day on the ground with D’Onta Foreman rushing for 118 yards on 15 carries and Chuba Hubbard running for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Here's a look at the Falcons inactives ...
CB A.J. Terrell
SS Jaylinn Hawkins
ILB Nate Landman
OLB Quinton Bell
OL Chuma Edoga
TE Anthony Firkser
DL Matt Dickerson
Here's a look at the Panthers inactives ...
WR Rashard Higgins
RB Chuba Hubbard
LB Arron Mosby
DT Daviyon Nixon
OT Larnel Coleman
Stick around with Falcon Report throughout the afternoon for live updates.
First Quarter:
Carolina won the toss and deferred. The Falcons will get the ball to start the game at the 25-yard line after the touchback.
Mariota fakes the handoff then rolls to his left and his pass to Kyle Pitts falls incomplete. On second down, Mariota goes deep and gets picked off by Donte Jackson.
Change of possession.
On Carolina's first play, D'Onta Foreman runs for seven yards. P.J. Walker throws a screen to Laviska Shenault but he's tackled for a one-yard loss. On third and four, Walker is pressured and his pass to DJ Moore is incomplete. Dee Marlowe is called for a facemask and that gives Carolina a first down.
Foreman gets the handoff again on first down and he gains three yards. On second and seven, Walker's pass to Tommy Tremble is incomplete. Walker drops back to pass on third and long and his pass to Moore is incomplete.
Johnny Hekker comes out to punt and Avery Williams calls for a fair catch at Atlanta's 12-yard line.
Change of possession.
Tyler Allgeier gets his first carry of the game on first down and he runs for 13 yards.
Allgeier gets the handoff again but is held to just a one-yard gain. On second and nine, Yetur Gross-Matos sacks Mariota for a yard loss. Mariota drops back to pass on third and long and after avoiding pressure, he gets sacked for a 13-yard loss by Frankie Luvu.
Bradley Pinion comes out to punt and Shi Smith had a great return before being pushed out at the Falcons' 37-yard line.
Change of possession.
Walker hands it off to Foreman and he runs for nine yards. On second and short, Foreman gets three yards for a first down.
Walker drops back to pass on first down but it falls incomplete. On second and 10, Raheem Blackshear is tackled for a two-yard loss. On third and 12, Spencer Brown rushes for five yards.
Eddie Pineiro comes out to attempt the 37-yard field goal and it's good with 6:50 left in the first quarter.
Panthers 3, Falcons 0
Change of possession.
Williams takes the kickoff and runs it back to Atlanta's 18-yard line. An illegal block in the back is called on Atlanta and they'll start the drive at the nine-yard line.
Caleb Huntley runs for three yards on first down. On second and seven, Mariota scrambles to his right and completes a pass to Damiere Byrd for 12 yards.
Atlanta goes back to the ground with Huntley on first down and he gains five yards. On second and five, Mariota keeps it and runs for nine yards before getting out of bounds.
Allgeier gets his first carry of the drive and he gains four yards. On second and six, Mariota throws a quick screen to Williams and he gets tackled for a one-yard loss. Mariota drops back to pass on third and seven, but the pass intended for Pitts falls incomplete.
Pinion comes back out to punt and Smith runs it back 13 yards to the Panthers' 19-yard line.
Change of possession.
Walker fakes the handoff and drops back on first down, but the pass intended for a wide-open Moore falls just outside of his reach. On second and 10, Walker throws a quick pass to Shenault for a five-yard gain. On third and five, Walker's pass to Terrace Marshall Jr. is incomplete.
Hekker comes out to punt and Williams calls for a fair catch at Atlanta's 31-yard line.
Change of possession.
Atlanta is moving backward before they even run a play due to a false start on Elijah Wilkinson. Allgeier gets the handoff on first and 15 and gains just two yards. On second and 13, Mariota completes his first pass of the game to Pitts and gains 10 yards. Before third and three, the clock runs out in the first quarter.
End of the quarter.
Second Quarter:
On third and three, Mariota completes a quick pass to Williams for eight yards and a first down.
Mariota hands it off to Huntley on first down and he gains three yards. On second and seven, Mariota's pass to Parker Hesse gains eight yards for another first down.
On first and 10 from the Panthers' 42-yard line, Mariota connects with Pitts for a gain of 27 yards.
The Falcons go back to the ground and Huntley runs for six yards. On second and four, Mariota completes a pass to Bryan Edwards for three yards. On third and one. Huntley gains five yards and gets to Carolina's two-yard line.
On first and goal, Mariota completes the pass to Pitts for a touchdown.
Younghoe Koo's extra point is good.
Falcons 7, Panthers 3
Change of possession.
Carolina begins the drive at its 25-yard line after the touchback. Moore gets the handoff on a reverse on first down and runs for three yards. On second and seven, Foreman gets the handoff and runs for three yards. Walker drops back to pass on third and four and completes a pass to Marshall for 25 yards.
Foreman gets the handoff again on first down and gains five yards. Foreman gets another carry and runs for six yards and a first down.
Walker drops back to pass on first down and completes the pass to Shenault, but it's ruled incomplete.
Taylor Moton jumps before the snap for a false start. On second and 15, Walker completes the pass to Moore for 19 yards.
On first and 10 from Atlanta's 18-yard line, Foreman runs for eight yards. Foreman gets the handoff again on second down and he runs for a four-yard gain to the Falcons' five-yard line.
On first and goal, Brown gets the carry on a toss to the left and runs for three yards. On second and goal, Walker's pass to Marshall is broken up by Cornell Armstrong. On third and goal from the two, Foreman runs it two yards for a touchdown.
Pineiro's extra point is good.
Panthers 10, Falcons 7
Change of possession.
Williams brings it out of the end zone and runs it to the Falcons' 35-yard line but a holding call negates the big return and moves them back to the 14-yard line.
Huntley gets the carry on first down and runs for five yards. Atlanta goes back to Huntley and he runs for six yards and a first down.
Huntley gets the ball once more and runs for seven yards. Allgeier gets the ball on second down and is kept to just a gain of one yard. Before third and three, the game reaches the two-minute warning.
On third and three, Mariota keeps it and is tackled for a one-yard loss by Derrick Brown. Carolina calls a timeout with 1:55 remaining in the first half.
Pinion's punt is caught by Smith inside the 10-yard line and he runs it to Carolina's 40-yard line but an illegal block in the back undoes the big return. The Panthers will begin the drive at their 10-yard line.
Change of possession.
Carolina stays on the ground with Foreman to start the drive and he runs for 16 yards.
Walker drops back to pass on first down and completes it to Tremble for nine yards. On second and two, Foreman gets the carry and gains three yards for a first down. Carolina calls a timeout with 51 seconds left in the half.
On first and 10, Lorenzo Carter intercepts Walker and runs it back 35 yards for a touchdown.
Koo's extra point is good.
Falcons 14, Panthers 10
Change of possession.
Koo kicks it through the back of the end zone for a touchback.
Foreman gets the handoff and runs for four yards. On second and six, Walker completes a pass to Tremble for eight yards and a first down. The Panthers call their final timeout with 14 seconds left in the half.
On first and 10, Walker's pass to Smith falls incomplete. Walker scrambles for 22 yards and slides on second down and that's the final play of the half.
Halftime.
Third Quarter:
The Panthers get the ball at their 25-yard line to start the second half.
Walker drops back to pass on first down and throws a screen to Ian Thomas, but only gains two yards. Foreman gets the carry on second down but only gains two. On third and six, Walker makes a big play and completes a 32-yard pass to Stephen Sullivan.
On first and 10 from Atlanta's 38-yard line, Brown runs for five yards. Walker connects on a screen to Marshall for eight yards and a first down.
Walker looks for Moore in the end zone on first down but the pass is incomplete. Walker drops back to pass and his pass to Marshall is incomplete. On third down, Walker goes to Marshall again and the pass is behind him and falls incomplete.
Pineiro comes out to kick a 42-yard field goal and it's good with 11:33 left in the third quarter.
Falcons 14, Panthers 13
Change of possession.
Atlanta starts the drive at its 25-yard line after the touchback.
Mariota's pass to Drake London loses a yard on first down. That was London's first catch of the game. On second and 11, Mariota tosses it to Olamide Zaccheaus and he loses six yards after getting tackled by Shaq Thompson. Mariota flips it to Allgeier on third down but he's tackled well short of a first down.
Pinion's punt is caught at the 29-yard line by Smith and he loses a couple of yards before getting tackled. An illegal block in the back is called on Carolina and moves them to the 17-yard line.
Change of possession.
Foreman gets the handoff on first down and runs for five yards. Walker drops back to pass on second down and completes a seven-yard pass to Shenault. Armstrong is down and being looked at by the training staff.
Walker fakes the handoff and rolls right before throwing the ball away as he's hit by Carter. Carolina is penalized for an ineligible receiver downfield and has to replay first down.
Walker drops back to pass on first down and his pass is batted down. Foreman runs for seven yards but another flag is thrown. A holding call makes it second and 25 for Carolina.
On second and forever, Walker completes a pass to Shenault for 13 yards. Walker drops back to pass on third and 12 and throws a screen to Shenault for just a gain of three yards.
Hekker comes out to punt and Williams receives it at Atlanta's 20-yard line. He runs it 19 yards before being pushed out of bounds.
Change of possession.
Huntley gets the carry on first down and runs for four yards. On second and six, Mariota completes a pass to Pitts who's hit as he catches the pass for 10 yards.
Huntley fumbles on first down but he manages to dive on the ball to recover it. On second and six, Allgeier comes in the game and runs for six yards and a first down.
Allgeier gets the ball again on first down and runs for just two yards. On second and eight, Mariota keeps it and runs for four yards. Mariota drops back to pass and completes it to London for seven yards and a first down.
On first and 10 from Carolina's 25-yard line, Mariota throws a screen to Allgeir and he runs it in for a touchdown.
Koo's extra point is good.
Falcons 21, Panthers 13
Change of possession.
Carolina begins the drive at its 25-yard line after the touchback.
Walker hands it off to Foreman and he runs for two yards. On second and eight, Carolina stays on the ground with Blackshear and he gains three. On third and three, Walker completes a big pass to Moore for 27 yards and a first down.
Carolina will have first and 10 from the Falcons' 43-yard line to start the fourth quarter.
End of the quarter.
Fourth Quarter:
Walker completes another pass to Moore for a 16-yard gain to start the fourth quarter.
On first down, Brown runs for seven yards. Foreman comes into the game at running back and runs for 10 yards and a first down.
On first and goal from Atlanta's seven-yard line, Brown runs for two yards. Walker drops back and his pass that's intended for Marshall falls incomplete after he doesn't get two feet in-bounds. On third and goal from the five-yard line, Foreman is stopped just short of the goal line.
On fourth and goal from the one-yard line, Foreman gets the ball again and he runs it in for a touchdown.
On the two-point conversion attempt, Foreman gets the handoff and scores to tie the game.
Falcons 21, Panthers 21
Change of possession.
Williams returns the kickoff and gets tackled at Atlanta's 20-yard line.
Huntley breaks a big gain on first down, running for 31-yards and getting into Carolina territory before being going out of bounds.
Huntley gets the ball again on first and 10 and runs for two yards. Huntley gets the ball for the third consecutive play and gains just a yard. On third and seven, Mariota makes a huge play through the air, completing a short pass to Pitts and he turns it into a 32-yard gain with his legs.
On first and 10 from the Panthers' 15-yard line, Huntley gains just a yard. On second and nine, Mariota gets just a yard before being tackled. Mariota drops back and his pass that's intended for Pitts is incomplete on third down.
Koo comes out to kick a 30-yard field goal and it's good with 7:33 left in the game.
Falcons 24, Panthers 21
Change of possession.
Carolina begins the drive at its 40-yard line after an unnecessary roughness is called on Feleipe Franks.
Foreman runs for two yards on first down. On second and eight, Walker completes a quick pass to Moore for five yards to make it third and three. Walker scrambles for a first down, but a holding call on Brady Christensen moves the Panthers back 10 yards.
On third and 13, Walker completes the pass to Moore for 21 yards and a first down at Atlanta's 42-yard line.
Foreman gets the carry on first down and gains five. Both teams were called for penalties that'll offset and make Carolina replay the down.
Walker hands it off to Brown and he gains just two yards. On second and eight, Walker has to throw it at Foreman's feet for an incompletion. An ineligible receiver downfield moves Carolina back five yards.
On second and 13, Sullivan moves early for a false start to make it second and 18. Walker drops back to pass on second and long and completes a big pass to Marshall and he makes multiple defenders miss to gain 39 yards.
On first and 10 from Atlanta's 11-yard line, Foreman loses a yard. Moore is called for an illegal shift but the penalty is declined.
On second and 10 from the 12-yard line, Foreman makes multiple defenders miss and runs it in for a touchdown.
Pineiro's extra point is good.
Panthers 28, Falcons 24
Change of possession.
Atlanta begins the drive at its 25-yard line with 3:06 left in the game.
Mariota drops back and goes deep for London but the pass falls incomplete. On second and 10, Mariota throws a short pass to Allgeier and he makes a defender miss en route to a 16-yard gain.
On first and 10, Mariota rolls to his left and then completes a pass to London for a 16-yard gain. Jackson is down on the field for Carolina with 2:32 left in the game.
A false start on Wilkinson moves the Falcons back five yards. On first and 15, Mariota rolls right and completes a pass to Byrd. He makes multiple defenders miss and runs into the end zone for a touchdown.
Koo's extra point is good.
Falcons 31, Panthers 28
End of possession.
Carolina starts the drive at its 25-yard line after the touchback.
Foreman gets the handoff and gains just a yard. The game reaches the two-minute warning. Walker drops back to pass on second down and it falls incomplete. On third and nine, Walker gets sacked by Rashaan Evans for a loss of 11-yards. Carolina calls a timeout with 1:45 left in the game. Before Carolina goes for it, Atlanta calls a timeout.
On fourth and 19, Walker's pass intended for Moore falls incomplete for a turnover on downs.
Change of possession.
Huntley runs for five yards on first down and the Panthers call their second timeout with 1:34 left in the game. Allgeier gets the handoff and is tackled for a one-yard loss and Carolina calls its final timeout. Allgeier gets the ball again and runs for two yards to make it fourth and three. Atlanta calls its second timeout with 39 seconds left in the game.
Koo comes out to attempt a 29-yard field goal and Chris Lindstrom moves before the snap.
Koo attempts the 34-yard field goal and it's good with 36 seconds left in the game.
Falcons 34, Panthers 28
Change of possession.
Carolina begins the drive at its 25-yard line after the touchback.
Walker's pass intended for Smith falls incomplete. On second and 10, Walker completes the pass to Marshall for 15 yards and he runs out of bounds with 29 seconds left in the game.
Walker rolls left and throws a bomb to Moore and he catches it in the end zone to tie the game with 12 seconds left to play. A flag for unsportsmanlike conduct is called on Moore after the play.
Pineiro's extra point attempt from 48-yards is no good.
Falcons 34, Panthers 34
Change of possession.
Pineiro's kick goes through the end zone for a touchback.
Mariota rolls to his left and goes deep to Byrd and the pass falls incomplete. Mariota takes a knee and the game is going to overtime.
End of the quarter.
Overtime:
Atlanta gets the ball to start overtime.
Williams runs the kickoff back to the 14-yard line for the Falcons.
Huntley gets the handoff on first down and runs for five yards. On second and five, Mariota's pass gets batted down with multiple defenders in his face. Before third and five, Atlanta calls a timeout.
Mariota drops back to pass on third down and completes the pass to London for eight yards and a first down.
Allgeier gets the handoff on first down and is tackled after gaining just a yard. Mariota drops back to pass and gets intercepted by CJ Henderson and he's pushed out of bounds at Atlanta's 20-yard line.
Change of possession.
Foreman gets the carry on first down and runs for a yard. Walker hands it off to Foreman again on second down and he runs for five yards. Foreman gets the ball once more and he loses a yard.
Pineiro comes out for the 33-yard field goal and Atlanta calls its final timeout.
The 33-yard field goal by Pineiro is no good.
Change of possession.
Huntley gets the handoff on first down and runs for four yards. On second and six, Mariota completes a short pass to Zaccheaus and he runs 10 yards for a first down.
On first down, Allgeier gains just a yard. On second and nine, Mariota completes the pass to Byrd for eight yards. Mariota keeps it on third and one and runs it 29 yards to Carolina's 25-yard line.
Allgeier gets the handoff on first down and loses a yard. On second and 11, Allgeier gains just two yards. Before third down, the game reaches the two-minute warning.
Koo comes out to kick the potential game-winning field goal and Carolina calls a timeout.
The 41-yard field goal by Koo is good and wins the game for Atlanta.
Final: Falcons 37, Panthers 34
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