Short week, long flight work fine for Atlanta
Atlanta’s Julio Jones, back, fights for the ball with Carolina’s Mike Adams on Sunday. ATLANTA >> The Atlanta Falcons have no complaints about a short practice week and a long road trip as their reward for being the NFC’s last team to make the playoffs.
Matt Bryant kicked five field goals, including a 56-yarder, for all of Atlanta’s second-half points and the Falcons clinched a playoff spot by beating the Carolina Panthers 22-10 on Sunday.
Atlanta (10-6) is the No. 6 seed in the NFC and will play at the Los Angeles Rams in a wild-card game Saturday night.
“We’re in it. That’s the only thing you can ask for,” Bryant said.
After the teams played to a 7-7 halftime tie, the 42-year-old Bryant kicked field goals of 30, 42, 30, 56 and 33 yards without a miss.
“We needed every point we could get today,” Bryant said.
On a day when Cam Newton and the Panthers’ offense struggled, Bryant’s 15 points provided a margin too great for Carolina to overcome.
The Panthers were held to 248 total yards.
“We didn’t play well enough to win,” tight end Greg Olsen said. “We can lie to ourselves, but we just didn’t play well enough offensively to win.”
The Panthers (11-5) had a playoff spot secured entering the weekend, but they couldn’t improve their position.
Minnesota’s 23-10 win over Chicago earlier Sunday ended the Panthers’ hopes of a first-round bye. The loss to the Falcons ended Carolina’s goal of winning the NFC South, and the Panthers will open the playoffs at New Orleans on Sunday.
Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said the Panthers have to move past the loss quickly.
“It’s time to let this one go,” Munnerlyn said. “We don’t have time to let this loss linger on. It’s playoff time. We’ve got to let it go, move forward and get ready for New Orleans.”
Matt Ryan completed 28 of 45 passes for 317 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to Devonta Freeman on Atlanta’s opening drive, and no interceptions.
The Panthers pulled even on Newton’s 4-yard scoring pass to Devin Funchess late in the first half.
Newton threw three second-half interceptions. The third interception, by Robert Alford in the end zone with 8 seconds remaining, ended the Panthers’ final drive. Newton completed 14 of 34 passes for 180 yards and one touchdown. He led Carolina with 59 yards rushing, including a 17-yarder.
Newton said facing the Falcons, who faced a mustwin situation, created a playoff environment.
“This is playoff football,” Newton said. “This was a hostile environment today and the way it’s looking we’re going to have a lot of hostile environments to go into.” Cleveland’s Corey Coleman reacts after dropping a fourth-quarter pass Sunday.