Finer in Carolina
Falcons beat Panthers, split season series
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Atlanta Falcons linebacker Mykal Walker has no explanation for why his team has struggled at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this season and performed so much better away from there.
“I don’t see any difference between playing on the road or at home,” Walker said. “But now we’ve got to make the home field a home-field advantage. For us, we know what we’ve got to do now — and that’s go 4-0 the rest of the way.”
Matt Ryan threw for 190 yards and a touchdown, Walker returned an interception of Cam Newton 66 yards for a touchdown and the Falcons improved to 6-2 away from home with a 29-21 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
Cordarrelle Patterson ran for 58 yards and a touchdown as Atlanta (6-7) kept its playoff hopes alive. The Falcons now have to find a way to win at home, where they are 0-5 under first-year head coach Arthur Smith.
“The guys made a commitment to shut down the run game,” Smith said, referring to his team allowing 203 rushing yards in a 19-13 loss to the Panthers on Oct. 31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “Defense did a nice job getting three takeaways. We played great complementary football.”
The Panthers are dealing with their own surprising struggles at home, where they have lost five straight and haven’t won since Sept. 19.
“It’s not what we expected,” defensive end Brian Burns said, “and it’s disappointing.”
Newton lost his third straight start since re-signing with Carolina, which split the season series with NFC South Division rival Atlanta for the second straight year and has swept the Falcons just twice (2005, 2013).
The 32-year-old quarterback ran for a 12-yard touchdown on Carolina’s first possession, but Newton turned the ball over twice and was replaced twice during the game by P.J. Walker, including midway through the fourth quarter. The Panthers (5-8) had three giveaways in all and have lost eight of their past 10 games under second-year coach Matt Rhule.
Newton called the turnovers “game killers.”
“To jeopardize the game the way I did today is inexcusable,” said Newton, who has lost his past 11 starts as Carolina’s starter dating to 2018.
With the Panthers trailing 20-14 midway through the third quarter, Newton appeared to trip over center Pat Elflein’s foot after taking the snap. He tried to reach out to hand off to running back Chuba Hubbard, but Newton fumbled and Atlanta recovered.
The Falcons took advantage with tight end Hayden Hurst, just back from short-term injured reserve, who was wide open in the flat to haul in a 3-yard touchdown pass for a 26-14 lead.
“We are looking for things to not be catastrophic,” Rhule said. “To put a snap on the ground on a second-and-1, that’s what really bothers you about that. … We just want to go to the ground there.”
The Falcons seemed in control and were working the clock when third-string running back Qadree Ollison fumbled at midfield, giving the Panthers some life. Walker cashed in with a 5-yard pass to Robby Anderson to cut Atlanta’s lead to 29-21 with 3:11 left.
Carolina’s defense needed a stop on Atlanta’s next possession, but Ryan hooked up with rookie tight end Kyle Pitts for a 24-yard gain on third-and-14 via busted coverage as two Panthers collided. The Falcons then ran out the clock.
“It can’t happen,” Rhule said. “It’s our base, day one coverage. We had them. He should be caught and tackled, and it should be fourth down, going back down the field to score.”
Newton’s other big mistake came in the first half when he fired over the middle for running back Ameer Abdullah. Newton said he never saw Walker, who undercut the route and took the ball to the house.
The Panthers have turned the ball over 18 times in their eight losses this season; in their five wins, they have a combined five turnovers.
“I know we have to play better at that position,” Rhule said. “We can’t have multiple turnover games from the quarterback position.”
After his touchdown, Walker pretended to rock the football back and forth like it was a baby. The 24-year-old Atlanta linebacker became a father for the first time last Tuesday.
“Cam Newton and LeBron James were my favorite players growing up,” Walker said. “My first interception. My baby was born five days ago. … I’m on cloud nine right now.”
The Falcons are one of five teams in the NFC tied at 6-7 and firmly in the hunt for a wild card as they seek their first playoff berth since the 2017 season. The final four games on Atlanta’s schedule are next Sunday at San Francisco (7-6), Dec. 26 against Detroit (1-11), Jan. 2 at Buffalo (7-6) and Jan. 9 against New Orleans (6-7).
“I’ve got an understanding of where we’re at,” Ryan said. “I don’t think you obsess over it. We understand where we’re at this time of the year.”