CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are proving they have more than one way to win, especially against a division opponent.
Bijan Robinson ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns, Tyler Allgeier added 105 rushing yards and a game-clinching score and the Falcons beat the Carolina Panthers 38-20 on Sunday for their third win over an NFC South opponent in three weeks .
The win comes a week after Kirk Cousins threw 58 passes for a franchise-record 509 yards in a 36-30 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cousins had a lighter day in comparison this week, completing 19 of 30 passes for 225 yards with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Drake London.
Robinson said the way the Falcons are playing right now, opposing defenses have to pick their poison when it comes to stopping them.
“That’s where you want to go with the offense, where these guys don’t know whether to stop the run or the pass,” Robinson said. “And then you’re able to do both, it’s really, really difficult for a defense because then they’re like, ‘OK, what do we do?'”
The Falcons were the latest team to feast on an injury-filled Panthers defense, which allowed a game-high 203 points in six games, the ninth most in the Super Bowl era and the most since the Cowboys of Dallas 2020.
Carolina has allowed 34 or more points in four games this season.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris said his team’s ability to rush for 198 yards and average 5.2 yards per carry was largely based on what the Panthers gave them.
“Last week we threw it 58 times and threw it for 509 yards, and this week we were able to run for (198) and that’s the sign of a good football team when you have to find ways to beat them,” Morris said. “We take what you give us and go out there and deal.”
Carolina’s Andy Dalton finished 26 of 38 for 221 yards with two touchdown passes and two interceptions in the fourth quarter for the Panthers (1-5), who have lost three straight.
The Panthers led 28-20 early in the fourth quarter and moved the ball efficiently on the ground, with Chuba Hubbard picking up three first downs before Dalton fired down the field and was intercepted by AJ Terrell.
All of Carolina’s momentum was gone.
The Falcons quickly capitalized, hitting Carolina’s depleted defense by driving 84 yards in nine plays for the game-clinching touchdown. Behind Robinson and Allgeier’s gutsy double, Atlanta ran the ball seven times on the drive for 70 yards and four first downs before Allgeier scored on a 2-yard burst with 5:38 to play.
“You find yourself in these situations in a one-score game and we just have to finish,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “There’s nothing else to say other than that.” We have to finish on our terms and be able to take that, get a 2-point opportunity and make it a game. We need to learn how to create a complete game.
The Falcons (4-2) took a 22-17 halftime lead. touchdown runs of 5 and 7 yards by Robinson and perfectly thrown TD strike from Cousins to Landon on an inclined route on third down.
The Panthers made it difficult for themselves with a variety of self-inflicted errors, including three false starts, a bad snap, a dropped pass, a botched blocking assignment and miscommunication on a handoff where Dalton had to recover the ball and dive forward for a short gain. There was also an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the Falcons’ second touchdown that prompted Raheem Morris to run around the extra point attempt, resulting in a 2-point conversion made by Allgeier after the ball was marked at 1.
But Dalton’s two touchdown passes — one 10 yards to Diontae Johnson and a 7 yards to rookie Xavier Legette in the back left corner of the end zone just before halftime – and some clever runs kept the Panthers within striking distance at the break.
Morris credited his defense for holding Carolina to a field goal in the second half, while intercepting Dalton twice to seal the game.
“We talked about leading the South,” Morris said. “Anytime you get a chance to get three wins in a row, it’s awesome. This is what we want to do. So why not keep winning? Someone has to do it.
Injuries
Falcons: S Micah Abernathy injured his knee early in the first quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Morris said the injury was not good. S Justin Simmons left the game with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter as a precaution.
Panthers: LB Claudin Cherelus left the game in the second half with a hamstring injury and did not return.
Following
Falcons: Host Seattle next Sunday.
Panthers: At Washington next Sunday.
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