The Falcons entered Week 6 with a golden opportunity to distance themselves even further from some of their rivals in the NFC South, as they traveled to Carolina to take on a lowly Panthers team that’s already looking towards next season.
But sometimes, these matchups can be the most dangerous games on the schedule if not taken seriously, and for a moment, it looked as if the Falcons came into Sunday sleepwalking. Atlanta’s first drive ended in a three-and-out, which was followed by a Panthers 12-play, 67-yard touchdown drive that chewed up almost seven minutes off the clock.
The Falcons would respond, however, with a lengthy touchdown drive of their own, going 70 yards on 12 plays, with most of it coming on the ground. Bijan Robinson capped it off, scampering into the end zone from the five-yard line. But the Panthers would prove pesky for the remainder of the first half.
A questionable fumble on the Falcons following possession set Carolina up for a field goal. The Panthers had a three-point lead with just under nine minutes to play, but this is where Atlanta’s offense started to take over. A 52-yard pass to Kyle Pitts set the Falcons up with a first-and-goal. The former 4th overall pick finished the game with 70 yards on three receptions, the first time since his rookie season he’s had 70 yards receiving in back-t0-back games.
With 70 receiving yards today, Kyle Pitts now has at least 70 receiving yards in back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks 14 and 15 in 2021, his rookie season. pic.twitter.com/C4laB6wgUh
— Justin Felder (@Justin_FOX5) October 14, 2024
Another Bijan Robinson touchdown would give the Falcons a 12-point lead with under two minutes to go in the half, as Raheem Morris’ bunch appeared to have taken complete control. But Andy Dalton would execute a near-perfect two-minute drill that ended with a seven-yard touchdown pass and gave the Panthers some life going into the locker room.
The Falcons have yet to really put together a complete game in all three phases this season, and that was the case again Sunday afternoon. The defense allowed Andy Dalton to make a lot of plays in the first half and were once again gashed on the ground, giving up 114 yards on just 24 carries.
However, the defense would tighten up in the second half, allowing just three points, thanks to a couple of interceptions, while the Falcons rushing attack completely took over the game. Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier combined for 33 carries for 200 yards and three touchdowns, which led to a season-high 38 points for the Falcons, topping the 36 points they scored last week against the Bucs.
The win moves Atlanta to 4-2 on the season and a perfect 3-0 in the division. It’s the first time the Falcons have started the season 4-2 since 2016, and the people of Atlanta remember that season all too well.
In a lot of ways, this year’s Falcons bunch is similar to the team that went to the Super Bowl eight years ago. The offense features an experienced veteran quarterback with a boatload of weapons. It’s one that is capable of burning defenses in multiple ways. Against the Bucs, Kirk Cousins‘ arm stole the show. This week, it was the Falcons’ one-two punch on the ground that proved unstoppable.
Defensively, there are holes, just like there were in 2016, but they have proven to be an opportunistic bunch that can force turnovers and get key stops in the red zone. We are only six weeks into the season, and the Falcons have already shown they can win in a multitude of different ways, making game-changing plays in all three phases. They haven’t quite put it all together, but improvement each week is paramount to success at the end of the year. The Falcons are doing that, and it’s why they are in first place as the midpoint of the season approaches.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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