Atlanta 29, Carolina 21
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 12, 2021
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Temperature:
51°
Head Official:
Shawn Smith
Attendance:
72243
By Field Level Media
Mykal Walker returned an interception 66 yards for a touchdown and the Atlanta Falcons went on to post a 29-21 win over the host Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C.
Matt Ryan completed 19 of 28 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown for the Falcons (6-7), who avenged a 19-13 loss to Carolina on Oct. 31.
Cam Newton completed 15 of 23 passes for 178 yards for the Panthers, with an interception and a fumble. Backup quarterback P.J. Walker threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Robby Anderson with 3:11 to play, but Carolina did not get the ball back.
The Panthers (5-8) have lost three games in a row.
Carolina rookie Chuba Hubbard scored on a 17-yard run on the first possession of the second half as the Panthers pulled within 17-14. Newton ran for 16 yards and threw for 28 yards on the 60-yard drive.
Younghoe Koo's 38-yard field goal with 6:28 remaining in the third quarter pushed Atlanta's edge to 20-14. That drive appeared derailed when Jeremy Chinn picked off a Ryan pass, but a roughing-the-passer penalty allowed the Falcons to keep possession.
Newton's fumble set up the Falcons for their next score. That came in the opening minute of the fourth quarter on a 3-yard pass from Ryan to tight end Hayden Hurst, though a failed two-point conversion left Atlanta with a 26-14 lead.
Newton was sacked on fourth down on Carolina's next possession. The Falcons needed just 18 yards on the ensuing possession to get Koo's 48-yard field goal for a 29-14 lead with 6:10 remaining in the game.
Walker came through with a big play in the first half, breaking a 7-7 tie by stepping in front of Newton's pass and racing to the end zone midway through the second quarter.
Newton opened the scoring on a 12-yard run to cap the team's first possession. That was a bright spot for the Panthers, who fired offensive coordinator Joe Brady and made Jeff Nixon the new play caller during their bye week.
Cordarrelle Patterson countered for the Falcons later in the first quarter with a 3-yard scoring run. Patterson became the first player in Falcons history with at least five receiving and rushing touchdowns in the same season.
The margin was 17-7 at halftime after Koo's 32-yard field goal with 3:12 remaining in the second quarter.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Team Stats Summary
| |
Yards |
Scoring |
Defense |
| Team |
Tot |
Rus |
Pas |
TD |
FG |
INT |
Sck |
FF |
| Atlanta
|
318 |
128 |
190 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1.0 |
0 |
| Carolina
|
334 |
91 |
243 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
1 |
Upcoming Games
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Carolina will play their next game on the road against Buffalo. The Panthers have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .286 after a loss.
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Atlanta will play their next game on the road against San Francisco. The Falcons have a W/L % of .200 after a win and .625 after a loss.
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