The Panthers were able to shake off their poor performance against the Bengals on Sunday to defeat the Falcons 25-15 on Thursday night. While Atlanta cut Carolina’s lead to three at one point in the third quarter, the Panthers were in control throughout the game. On a rainy night in Charlotte, the Panthers had a 13-0 lead late in the second quarter before a Falcons field goal made it 13-3 at halftime. Rookie receiver Drake London caught a 7-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter to make it 13-10. But from there, D’Onta Foreman hit a 12-yard touchdown run on Carolina’s ensuing drive to keep his team in the game. Foreman led the way for the Panthers offensively, posting 130 yards on 31 carries. Eddie Pineiro hit a 40-yard field goal with 9:22 left in the game. And while Falcons receiver KhaDarel Hodge caught a 25-yard touchdown from Marcus Mariota, another 37-yard field goal by Pinerio with 10 seconds left in the game set up the final margin. Generally, the Panthers ran all over the Falcons. They finished with 232 yards rushing on 47 attempts. That includes a 41-yard touchdown run by receiver Levishka Shenault on a reverse pass in the second quarter. On the other hand, Mariota finished 19 of 30 for 186 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception. But he looked particularly poor, unleashing misfires all night. While he was intercepted once, there were at least two other occasions where the ball could have been stripped. Rookie wide receiver Drake London caught five passes for 38 yards with one touchdown. Kyle Pitts was held to just two catches on eight targets for 28 yards. Defensively, the Panthers collected five sacks – including a two by defensive end Marquis Haynes on Atlanta’s final drive. But there could be a major injury concern in Carolina’s secondary, as cornerback Donde Jackson had to leave the game with an Achilles injury. With Carolina’s win, the NFC South remains wide open. The Buccaneers lead the division at 4-5, as Atlanta is now 4-6. The Saints, who play the Steelers this weekend, are 3-6. The Panthers are now 3-7, with a 3-1 record in the division.
