Sunday afternoon, the Atlanta Falcons fell to the Carolina Panthers 19-13 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a defensive battle. Key mistakes doomed the Falcons chances as the Panthers put a stop to their four-game losing streak. Let’s do a deep dive into the five lessons we learned from today’s game.
1) Matt Ryan is not invincible
Ryan was knocked down and got stepped on late in the second quarter. His hand was bleeding profusely, but he’d re-enter the game with 1:44 remaining in the first half with a black glove on his left hand. On the afternoon, Ryan completed 20-of-27 passes for 146 yards. He threw one touchdown and two interceptions. Ryan was also hit nine times. The Panthers got after Ryan all day long and his pocket was not clean, literally.
Matt Ryan speaks to the media after the #Falcons suffer a 19-10 loss to the #Panthers. He admits the turnover early in the game was major factor in today's outcome. "Gotta make those plays… credit to Carolina's defense."#CARvsATL #TheAtlantaVoice #NFL
— The Atlanta Voice (@theatlantavoice) October 31, 2021
Video: @_dawnmontgomery pic.twitter.com/CBED2XqvW4
2) Carolina’s defense showed up
The Panthers’ secondary smothered the Falcons wide receivers all game long. After a stellar performance in the last two games, the Panthers held Falcons rookie Kyle Pitts to two catches for 13 yards. He was bracketed all day long by new acquisition Stephon Gilmore and safety Jeremy Chinn. Pitts admitted that Gilmore was a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the cornerback did things today that he didn’t see on tape. However, Pitts pledged to learn from this performance and step his game up.
3) Carolina’s Sam Darnold laid it on the line
The embattled signal-caller has had his critics since during the four-game losing streak. While he may get the ball out late or hang his receivers out to dry, Darnold had a good afternoon. However, With 7:37 left in the 4th quarter the referee directed Darnold to the sidelines after he was hit by Falcons linebacker Foye Oluokun. He was evaluated and would be later ruled out for the remainder of the game with a concussion.
Grady Jarrett says the time of possession and stopping the run will be a point of emphasis this week.
— The Atlanta Voice (@theatlantavoice) October 31, 2021
The #Panthers ran for 203 yards and held the ball for more than 35 minutes in their 19-10 win over the #Falcons.#CARvsATL #TheAtlantaVoice
Video: @_dawnmontgomery pic.twitter.com/ySodxCcyAC
4) Field Goals Matter!
What good is a drive if you can’t score touchdowns? Only two of them were scored on the day. Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo missed a 45 yard field to the right with 14:15 remaining in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing drive, the Panthers went down the field in 15 plays, traveling 65 yards and running back Chuba Hubbard scored a six-yard touchdown with 6:35 remaining in the game. Overall, the Panthers controlled the ball for 35:23 compared to 24:37 for Atlanta.
5) Calvin Ridley shares mental health update
Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley shared an updated regarding his absence from today’s game. It reads in part:
These past few weeks have been very challenging and as much as I’d like to be on the field competing with my teammates, I need to step away from football at this time and focus on my mental wellbeing. This will help me be the best version of myself now and in the future.
“It’s no different than an injury in any other spot,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said of Ridley. “Sometimes, you know, there’s gametime decisions and you got to adjust as part of being a professional and going out there and being ready to go. So I don’t think it affected the guys, but certainly wish Calvin all the best. We love him and support him. He’s a great friend and a great person. I’ll support him as he’s going through this.”
We have a statement from #Falcons wide receiver, @CalvinRidley1 pic.twitter.com/MU1HGHLvHm
— The Atlanta Voice (@theatlantavoice) October 31, 2021