The Atlanta Falcons wanted this sport, and so they wanted the Saints to beat the Buccaneers. New Orleans surprisingly confirmed as much as smother the Buccaneers by means of three quarters, however the Falcons? The Falcons didn’t present up, particularly on protection, and in the end misplaced their second straight sport in additional time. As a result of the Buccaneers gained the tip consequence didn’t matter within the grand scheme of issues, however it mattered within the sense that the Falcons may have used a win to make us really feel higher about their 2025 prospects. They couldn’t get it finished.
After a sluggish begin and with a few misfires blended in, the Falcons offense largely delivered. Michael Penix linked on a number of lengthy passing performs, ran in a landing, and customarily was sharp whereas Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier rumbled by means of the guts of the Carolina protection. The top consequence was that the Falcons scored over 30 factors for the second time in three weeks, exhibiting particular potential with their forged of playmakers getting the ball from Penix. Heck, they nearly scored 40.
However protection was terrible, and that meant what ought to have been a walking-away victory for the workforce was not. Missed subject objectives and fourth down makes an attempt gave the Panthers quick fields, which elevated the diploma of problem, however the facet of the ball that had provide you with some spectacular stress and massive performs in latest weeks principally did not do something in opposition to Bryce Younger and Carolina. They didn’t sack Younger, and in reality allowed him to repeatedly prolong performs along with his legs and even rating on a fourth quarter scramble, turning lengthy downs into simple first downs time and again. They in the end misplaced in additional time due to that. It was the type of humiliating effort a defensive-minded head coach and his embattled, hand-picked defensive coordinator couldn’t have to finish the season, and it makes me surprise if Lake may really be prone to dropping his job.
The web impact was a completely underwhelming efficiency that made me really feel worse about this Falcons workforce in 2024—they did far an excessive amount of of this throughout this up-and-down season—and higher about 2025, given how good Penix, Robinson, and London appeared and the thought that this workforce can’t probably stand pat on protection. There’s a lot to love from this offense and a lot to query about their workforce’s protection and training employees, and the times forward will inform us how a lot the Falcons themselves suppose they should do with a purpose to flip a disappointing end to this 2024 marketing campaign into an really profitable 2025 season.
Right here’s a drive-by-drive recap of the sport you simply watched.
1st Quarter
The Panthers kicked off, and he took it again to the 29 yard line. Bijan Robinson fought by means of contact for 4 yards. Robinson then took it 5 yards, as soon as once more evading a number of sort out makes an attempt. Tyler Allgeier then picked up 4 yards and a primary down. Michael Penix then threw it effectively behind Drake London for an incompletion. KhaDarel Hodge hauled within the subsequent zippy sideline move. Penix then missed Ray-Ray McCloud on the sideline excessive. Penix then hit McCloud for 9 yards. Robinson then received unfastened to select up effectively over 10 yards. Penix then was beneath stress and floated one away. Then Penix tried Hodge over the center and he merely dropped it. Penix then fired one into the tip zone for London, however it was simply behind London and a Panthers defender got here in arduous to knock it unfastened. Riley Patterson narrowly hit the quick subject aim to make it 3-0 Falcons.
Touchback. Bryce Younger rolled out and threw it to Xavier Legette for about 5 yards, and Legette was harm on the play. Miles Sanders then received two yards on a run to the left. Adam Thielen then made a leaping third down seize working in opposition to A.J. Terrell to select up 24 yards. A trick play move from Jalen Coker to Miles Sanders then picked up one other 24 yards. Sanders received a yard on first down. A faked handoff and throw to Thielen went nowhere after Justin Simmons received him. Younger then tried a finish zone shot to Legette however missed badly. The sphere aim strive was good to make it 3-3.
Williams received the kick on the 8 and returned it to the 30. Bijan received possibly a yard on the subsequent carry. Drake London then received about eight yards and had his helmet pop off on a brief move from Penix. Robinson received only a smidge lower than a yard to make it 4th and a foot or so. Robinson then received simply sufficient to select up the primary. A brief move to Allgeier after Penix couldn’t discover something downfield picked up six yards. Allgeier then received near 4 yards to make it third and quick. Allgeier then plunged by means of the center to select up one other first. Allgeier then received 5 yards on first down. Penix tried a sideline ball to Bijan, however he was sadly out of bounds with the seize. The subsequent move to London was in London’s palms (if a bit excessive), and he merely dropped it. Penix then got here out passing on fourth down, however received hit as he threw and it went into the filth. Turnover on downs.
Sanders picked up 4 yards on first down. A throw to Thielen then went for about three yards.
2nd Quarter
Mike Boone then discovered a spot and received the primary down, however a Nate Landman sort out stored it from being a a lot larger play. Younger then threw it away. Legette took a brief move and turned it into a primary down. Sanders then received about seven yards earlier than Alford tackled him. Sanders then caught a brief one and put a transfer on Kaden Elliss for a primary down. Younger tried one rolling away from stress however threw it behind Legette. Sanders then fell ahead for about three yards. Underneath stress, Younger hit a large open Legette contained in the 5 yard line on a leaping seize. On the subsequent play, Younger received away from a few defenders and ran it in for a landing. 10-3 Panthers.
Bijan then received 4 yards. Penix then hit McCloud on the sideline for a primary down. An incompletion to Bijan adopted. Penix then threw one other bullet to London, who received away from two defenders to select up 25ish yards. Bijan then broke an ankle sort out and picked up 16 yards. He got here again and ran it left for about 9 yards, after which picked up a few yards and a primary down. Robinson then ran it once more to select up about 5 yards, however he was crushed for a brief loss on second down. Penix then ran in his first profession NFL landing, extending on a dive to get it in. 10-10 tie.
Raheem Blackshear picked up about 4 yards. Younger then received away from stress and was capable of hit a receiver for a primary down. Blackshear then picked up over 25 yards on the bottom. Blackshear then picked up nothing on the subsequent carry, however Younger threw a deep shot to Sanders and received it for a landing. 17-10 Panthers.
Touchback. Penix then hit London for about 9 yards. Penix then hit Kyle Pitts over the center for a primary down and one other 9 yards. Penix purchased time along with his legs after which hit London on the sideline for a primary down. Robinson then took it and picked up about 20 yards on the bottom thanks partly to some super blocking. He received about three yards on first down. Robinson then confirmed persistence to attend till a gap opened and he plunged in for a landing. 17-17 tie.
Sanders caught a swing move and picked up about 5 yards, managing to get out of bounds. On the subsequent play, Matthew Judon jumped, which meant the next sack didn’t depend for Atlanta. Jalen Coker then caught it and was pushed out of bounds wanting the primary down, due to A.J. Terrell. The Panthers punted.
After the honest catch simply wanting the 20, Penix hit London once more for an enormous pickup of about 20. Penix then threw one within the filth towards London beneath stress. Penix evaded a sack, threw it to Bijan, and Bijan dropped it. However then Penix threw a stupendous deep ball to McCloud for 42 yards, giving Atlanta a shot on the subject aim. They stayed on the sector for Penix to take a shot to London ultimately zone, and that fell incomplete. Then he tried it once more and received London that point, and although London loomed over a defender and earned a penalty, Riley Patterson hit the additional level strive. 24-17 Falcons.
The Panthers kneeled it out.
third Quarter
After a touchback, Terrell took down Jalen Coker on a fast swing move for no acquire. A 5 yard run adopted, after which Clark Phillips broke up the third down move. Punt, and it landed simply outdoors the ten.
Bijan took his first carry of the half for 9 yards, and adopted that with six yards and a primary down. Penix then fired in a low one to McCloud, who popped it into the air for an interception. Panthers ball.
A shot over the center to Adam Thielen was dropped, due to Dee Alford getting a hand on it. Sanders then took it up the center and received a yard after David Onyemata took him down. Thielen then caught the move simply shy of a primary down after Younger threw it up beneath stress, however Raheem Morris challenged the catch. The ruling stood, and Younger had a large open Tommy Tremble ultimately zone for a landing.
A Natrone Brooks return went simply previous the 30 yard line. Tyler Allgeier took it for about six yards on first down. Allgeier then picked up three yards on second down, after which received the blocks to select up 17 yards on the bottom. Allgeier then took it once more for 10 yards. He adopted that up with a one yard run up the center. A brief move to Bijan misplaced yardage. Penix tried to run away from stress, however Clowney received him for a sack. Then Riley Patterson tried it from 52 yards, and he missed badly. Panthers ball.
Miles Sanders picked up seven yards on first down. Younger then purchased time along with his legs and ran for the primary down. Younger then threw it away attempting to get Tremble. Sanders was then swallowed up after a few yards. One other third down conversion adopted with a throw over the center to Coker. Sanders then picked up about 5 yards. Sanders then picked up a simple first down. Younger was then ridden down after a two yard scramble by Onyemata. A fast landing to David Moore adopted, one that includes a missed sort out. 31-24 Panthers.
On the subsequent play, although, Penix hit London approach downfield for a acquire of 40 yards. Robinson then picked up three yards.
4th Quarter
Robinson then picked up 5 yards, however then he picked up one other six yards and a primary. BIjan then received round 4 yards, however a holding name backed up Atlanta ten yards. McCloud was the goal on the subsequent throw, however he was hit arduous as he introduced it in and it popped unfastened. A fast move up the center to Allgeier picked up about ten yards. Then Penix hit McCloud simply shy of the primary down for a 4th and 1. Bijan then simply barely received throughout the road to select up a primary down. The Falcons then received hit with a false begin, and Robinson caught a brief move for about 5 yards. On the subsequent play, Penix received away from stress however threw it away. One other holding name on the Falcons backed them up. The second and 20 move was knocked down by Jadeveon Clowney. That arrange a 3rd and 20, however Penix being Penix, he fired one in to London over the center for a landing. 31-31 tie.
Mike Boone picked up 4 yards on first down. A fast move then received a primary down for Coker. As soon as once more, Younger received away from stress to hit Coker for about seven yards. A run up the center then received a yard earlier than Boone was pushed backwards. On third down, a 17 yard run gave Carolina a simple first down, however on the subsequent play they tried a trick move from Adam Thielen that fell incomplete and David Moore was hit with a facemask name working in opposition to Clark Phillips. On the subsequent play, although, Younger hit Sanders for a primary down on 1st and 25. Boone picked up seven yards on the subsequent play, after which Younger beneath stress hit JaTavion Sanders for 2 yards. Younger then received away from stress and scrambled into the tip zone for a landing. 38-31 Panthers.
The Falcons started from the 30 yard line, with Robinson carrying it for 13 yards on first down. Robinson then rolled it for one more 9 yards, after which picked up 4 yards and a primary down. Then Penix hit London for a primary down over the center. Robinson then picked up near 10 yards. The subsequent ball got here in for London, however he dropped it. On the subsequent play, he merely missed London deep. Then he hit London in opposition to for a primary down, after which discovered Pitts for six yards on first down. Bijan then received the handoff up the center to get a primary down. On the subsequent play, Bijan bounced it outdoors to attain one other landing, showcasing the persistence and velocity we love from him. 38-38 tie.
After a fast three and out, the Falcons let Robinson run it for a primary down and let the clock wind down. Time beyond regulation.
Time beyond regulation
The Panthers gained the toss. Sanders took it 4 yards on first down, after which discovered loads of room to select up 11 yards and a primary down. A fast move to Tremble then picked up 15 yards. Sanders was then swallowed up for a brief loss. Younger then discovered Thielen for six yards. A primary down and eight yards adopted. Sanders then misplaced a yard. One other first down throw adopted because the Panthers floor the clock down. Younger evaded stress and hit Coker for a primary down, setting the Panthers up on the one yard line. Sanders plunged in for a win, and Atlanta misplaced 44-38 in additional time.
