Falcons Winners and Losers after Disastrous Showing vs. Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons suffered a brutal 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, dropping to 0-2 to start the 2026 season. The Falcons struggled to generate anything offensively while turning the ball over five times, allowing Carolina to take control early and never look back.

There were a few positives to take from the game, particularly on defense, but the quarterback situation remains the biggest storyline heading into a short week against the Green Bay Packers.

Here are the Falcons Week 2 winners and losers.

Loser: Cooper Rush + Jack Strand

It was a nightmare afternoon for Cooper Rush.

The Falcons quarterback finished 10 of 17 for 86 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble. His three turnovers came during a game in which Atlanta desperately needed him to protect the football and keep the offense on the field.

Rush’s first play from scrimmage ended with a fumble, and his second offensive possession ended with an interception. He later threw another interception to Devin Lloyd, which led to Atlanta turning to undrafted rookie Jack Strand.

Strand did not provide much of a spark, finishing 8 of 15 for 59 yards and an interception. He also lost a fumble to end the game. His first pass was tipped and intercepted by Lloyd, who returned it for a touchdown. It might not have mattered, but Strand entering the game with the Falcons already down 27-3 wasn't, on the two yard line, wasn't an ideal place for Strand to make his debut.

With Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa both unavailable at the moment, the Falcons now have major questions to answer before Thursday night’s game against Green Bay.

Winner: Falcons Defensive Line

The Falcons defense was put in an extremely difficult position by the offense’s turnovers, but the defensive line continued to provide some bright spots.

Za’Darius Smith stood out, including a half sack with Cameron Thomas late in the first half that helped temporarily stall a Carolina drive. The Falcons defense also kept Atlanta within striking distance early despite the offense repeatedly giving the Panthers favorable field position.

That unit deserves credit for keeping the game from getting out of hand earlier.

The biggest issue for Atlanta is that the defense cannot continually be asked to overcome turnovers and short fields. Still, the defensive front showed enough to remain one of the more encouraging parts of the team through two weeks.

Winner: Drake London

Drake London had a much better performance than he did in Week 1.

London finished with four receptions for 51 yards on five targets and consistently showed an ability to create separation against the Panthers' secondary.

The numbers were not spectacular, but London looked more involved and more capable of making plays down the field.

Unfortunately for Atlanta, the quarterback play prevented London and the rest of the passing game from finding any real rhythm.

Loser: Kyle Pitts

Kyle Pitts was barely involved in the offense.

The Falcons tight end finished with just one reception for 15 yards on three targets.

There were not many opportunities for Pitts throughout the afternoon, and that is an important part of the context. Atlanta’s quarterback struggles made it difficult for any of its top offensive weapons to consistently get involved.

Still, after the Falcons invested heavily in their offensive playmakers, seeing Pitts finish with only one catch is another frustrating development.

Winner: Kendal Daniels

Kendal Daniels continued to show flashes of why the Falcons are excited about the young linebacker.

Daniels recorded three tackles against Carolina and also appeared to make a pass breakup, although the play was wiped away by a penalty.

Daniels’ development is worth watching as the season progresses. At 6 foot 5 and 242 pounds, he provides Atlanta with an intriguing combination of size and athleticism at linebacker.

Loser: Nick Folk

Nick Folk’s struggles continued in Week 2.

After missing two field goals in the season opener, Folk missed another attempt Sunday, this time from 53 yards. He did make a 41-yard field goal, but the miss continues a surprising start for a kicker who has been among the league’s most accurate over the course of his career.

The Falcons signed Folk expecting stability from the position. Instead, he has already missed three field goals through two games. Two of the three misses were from 50+. Still, he only missed three field goals in the last three seasons combined, including 18 of 20 at 50+.

Atlanta will need that situation to turn around quickly, especially if the offense continues to struggle to finish drives.

Loser: Kevin Stefanski

Stefanski's hire was not universally praised by Falcons fans, and after two games, the grace period is over. He was put in a terrible situation at quarterback, but he cannot continue to roll out Cooper Rush at quarterback. Failing with an undrafted rookie would generate more good will than failing with a 32-year-old never-was.

Can Michael Penix Jr. save the season when he returns, or will it be too late already?

The Biggest Takeaway

The Falcons have problems across the roster, but the quarterback situation is impossible to ignore after Sunday’s loss.

Atlanta has now scored just 16 points through two games and has yet to run an offensive play in the red zone this season.

The good news is that the Falcons have a short turnaround. The bad news is that they have to travel to Green Bay for Thursday Night Football.

And the biggest question heading into that game is: Who will be playing quarterback?

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