Panthers Can't Complete Comeback, Fall to Falcons
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - In a matchup that featured a pair of 5-7 teams in a must-win situation, the Atlanta Falcons kept their playoff hopes alive for the time being with a 29-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon.
Earlier in the week, the Panthers anointed running backs coach Jeff Nixon as the team's new play-caller following the firing of offensive coordinator, Joe Brady. It didn't take long for Nixon to find success as the Panthers marched right down the field on their first possession of the game for a touchdown. Nixon called a lot of RPOs and even threw in some no-huddle which caught Atlanta off guard. After a healthy balance of run/pass, Newton called his own number on the read option and ran in the touchdown from 12 yards out around the left side.
Atlanta answered on the following drive, picking on second-year corner C.J. Henderson. He got beat on a double move by Russell Gage that went for a gain of 36 to immediately get the Falcons on the plus side of the field. After nearly being intercepted by A.J. Bouye, Ryan went back to Gage on 3rd and 8 which nearly went for a first down. Mike Davis picked up the first down on 4th & short with ease. Once again, Ryan got a lucky bounce as an incomplete pass bounced off his receiver's chest and safety Jeremy Chinn was a split second late to recording the pick. For the third time on the drive, C.J. Henderson gave up a big play, this time a 13-yard pick-up on 3rd down to move the sticks. Two plays later, Cordarrelle Patterson ran in a five-yard score to knot things up at seven.
Carolina's first drive in the second quarter had them backed up inside their own five thanks to a 64-yard bomb off the leg of Thomas Morstead. A completion to DJ Moore of the RPO gave the Panthers some cushion going for a gain of 22. Newton connected with Robby Anderson on a couple of plays including one that went for 23. However, the drive came to a halt when Newton delivered a bad ball over the middle that was intercepted and returned 66 yards for a touchdown by Mykal Walker - the first pick of his career.
The Panthers went three and out and gave Atlanta terrific field position after Lachlan Edwards shanked the punt, putting the ball at the 50. Carolina had a chance to get off the field early but the Falcons called for a screen to RB Mike Davis to beat the blitz and it went for 20 yards. Fortunately for Carolina, they were able to limit the damage to just a 32-yard field goal by Younghoe Koo.
Matt Rhule inserted P.J. Walker at quarterback on the final drive of the half in an attempt to provide a spark offensively. He had a 9-yard completion to start the series, then was tackled for a loss of five on a read option, and topped it all off by sending up a prayer on third down as if it was the end of half/game which resulted in an interception by A.J. Terrell. Atlanta trotted into the locker room with a 17-7 lead at the break.
Newton went back into the game to start the second half and once again, guided the Panthers down the field for a touchdown. Tommy Tremble came down with a nice catch that was a little high to keep the drive alive on third down. A pair of carries by Newton set up a 17-yard rushing score by rookie Chuba Hubbard, bringing the Panthers to within three, 17-14.
Atlanta had three consecutive plays of 12 yards to help kickstart their first series of the half. Jeremy Chinn intercepted Matt Ryan down the field but it was negated by a roughing the passer penalty on safety Myles Hartsfield. Carolina's defense locked in and held Atlanta to a field goal. Koo's kick pushed the lead back out to six.
Carolina was on the move after a beautiful catch by DJ Moore over the middle of the field but once again, the drive ended in a turnover. Newton stepped on center Pat Elflein's foot and fumbled trying to extend to Hubbard for the handoff. Grady Jarrett recovered the fumble for Atlanta. Matt Ryan faced a 3rd and 13 early but bought enough time for Kyle Pitts to find an open patch of turf in the secondary. Over the next six plays, Atlanta pounded the rock with Qadree Ollison, and Patterson and Carolina had no answer for it. The Falcons made it a two-score game as Ryan hit tight end Hayden Hurst off the play-action fake. Atlanta failed the two-point conversion which kept the game at 26-14.
With the offense continuing to struggle, Rhule felt like he had to go for it on 4th and 2 at his own 33. Newton hit Robby Anderson to keep the drive going for the time being. Once the Panthers reached midfield, the offense stalled out. On 4th & 10, Dante Fowler blew by left tackle Cam Erving to sack Newton causing a turnover on downs. There seemed to have been some miscommunication between Erving and left guard Dennis Daley on the play but it wouldn't have mattered anyway as Newton slipped to the ground just before Fowler arrived in the backfield. Even with great field position, the Falcons couldn't do much with the ball and settled for three.
Carolina failed another 4th down conversion on the ensuing drive but Qadree Ollison fumbled on the first play from series and Jermaine Carter Jr. hopped on top of it. P.J. Walker hit on big gains to Robby Anderson on virtually the same route for a total of 31 yards. The two connected once again in the back corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Carolina lined up to go for two but a false start by Cam Erving forced Matt Rhule to kick the extra point. With a little over three minutes left and all three timeouts, the Panthers opted to kick the ball deep instead of going for the onside kick. Carolina forced Atlanta into a 3rd and long but no one accounted for Pitts to slip out into the flat who picked up the first down to seal the deal for Atlanta.
The Panthers will return to action next Sunday when they hit the road to take on the Buffalo Bills. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. EST.
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