The Carolina Panthers faced their first road test of the 2018 season when they visited Mercedes-Benz stadium for the second time since its creation. Hopefully, this won’t be the last time the Panthers play in Atlanta this season. The Falcons will be hosting the Super Bowl in their shiny new venue this February, but the Panthers didn’t look like a contender today. At least not for the first three quarters. Drops were an issue as the Carolina Panthers fall short against their divisional rival.

The season is long. You can’t extrapolate a two-game sample and predict just what will happen in this league, but thus far the Panthers look like a work in progress. They came out cold and kept couldn’t put it together before it was too late. The injuries on the offensive line and numerous drops forced Cam Newton to put the team on his back, and once again he just couldn’t do it on his own. The Carolina Panthers lost to the Atlanta Falcons 31-24.

Drops Loom Large as Carolina Panthers Fall Short Against Divisional Rival Atlanta Falcons

Offensive Line:

Surprisingly enough, the Panthers demise wasn’t a direct result of poor offensive line play. A makeshift front line held strong for Cam Newton all day in pass protection allowing only two sacks and five QB hits. These weren’t phenomenal numbers or results early on, especially in the run game, but considering that the starting left tackle, Chris Clark, was on his couch last week I think there is a lot to be optimistic about here. This offense still badly misses Greg Olsen and Daryl Williams.

Cam Newton:

Cam Newton’s “Superman” nickname has been well deserved throughout his career. Carrying a weak Panthers receiving corps and fighting through questionable play calling has defined him. Now with a new offensive coordinator in Norv Turner and a plethora of shiny new weapons, you’d think the Panthers would be unstoppable. It’s not that easy, especially when Cam Newton’s safety blanket Greg Olsen is injured. The Panthers started slowly today, but instead of rolling over and taking the loss as we’ve seen in recent years, Carolina fought back and had a chance to tie the game on the last play today. That’s progress in itself. Cam Newton is a superstar quarterback in this league, and when it all comes together in this new offense we will look fondly back at this game as a stepping stone to success.

Newton’s stat line: 32/45 | 335 yards | 3 TDs | 1 INT

Through two games he has posted a 69% completion rating.

This rating would’ve been even higher if it weren’t for numerous drops that derailed the offense.

Why comp % is an awful stat. Cam delivers an absolute dime to Thomas who drops it. pic.twitter.com/duzevJ1ZUt

— Billy Marshall (@BillyM_91) September 16, 2018

Ian Thomas dropped a would-be touchdown pass that hit him in between the numbers. CJ Anderson popped a dump off pass up into the air, which was intercepted in the fourth quarter. These mistakes can’t be made moving forward if the Panthers expect to compete in a division that has suddenly become a four-horse race after a 2-0 start by Tampa Bay. Cam Newton has not been the reason why this offense struggles in the passing game. Panthers General Manager Marty Hurney should be making calls to the Browns regarding Josh Gordon if they want to get serious about winning in their window.

Run Defense:

The Panthers front seven is usually stout. Today they were not. The Panthers had gone 21 consecutive games without yielding a hundred-yard rusher. Falcons running back Tevin Coleman finished the game with 107 yards on 16 carries. The Panthers recorded just two hits on Matt Ryan all game. Before the Falcons final drive, they were averaging well over eight yards per carry.

The Falcons did a fantastic job of spreading the Panthers defense out and forcing them to play on their heels, but this was an unacceptable performance. Carolina will not be successful against anyone, much less the lineup of hall of fame quarterbacks on their schedule, applying virtually no pressure in the pocket. Panthers defensive coordinator Eric Washington will need to inspire his guys to get to Andy Dalton next week, or else they could be in for another long game.

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

• On the Panthers first drive of the day they were able to put up points. CJ Anderson started off with a big run that set up Graham Gano for a perfect 54-yard field goal. 3-0 Panthers.
• Falcons match with a 44-yard field goal of their own by Matt Bryant. 3-3.

Second Quarter

• After Cam Newton gets absolutely blasted on an illegal late hit, he returns to the game to finish the drive. Newton’s throws a laser to Jarius Wright for his first touchdown as a Panther. This is Cam’s first passing touchdown of the year. 10-3 Carolina.
• Following a questionable pass interference call on rookie cornerback Donte Jackson, Matt Ryan capitalized on a touchdown pass to Calvin Ridley, the first of his career. 10-10
• After a Panthers punt, the Falcons run the two-minute drill to perfection. Matt Ryan had open receivers and didn’t face much pressure. Ryan was able to find his tight end Austin Hooper for a touchdown to end the half. 17-10 Falcons.

Third Quarter

• Matt Ryan is able to easily carve up a reeling Panthers defense, finishes the drive with a QB sneak for a touchdown. 24-10 Falcons.

Fourth Quarter

• Cam leads a great drive when given some time in the pocket. Jarius Wright made a lot of big plays. Newton threw a strike to Torrey Smith for his first touchdown as a Panther. 24-17 Falcons.
• Matt Ryan effortlessly drives the Falcons down the field and runs another one in. 31-17 Falcons.
• Cam finds DJ Moore for the first time in the game. Moore takes it the distance before the two-minute warning to make this a game. 31-24 Falcons.

Quick Takeaways

• The offensive line surprisingly held up in the fourth quarter and gave Cam time to make open throws and gain confidence. The downfield passing game needs to improve, and it starts with giving Cam time to look downfield.
• Time management on offense still seems to be an issue here. The Panthers should have realistically gotten another 2-3 plays in, but they didn’t show a sense of urgency on the final drive.
• Let’s talk about that hit on Cam Newton. It was clearly malicious and there is no place for a play like that in this game or league. It did seem to psych Cam and the Panthers up though, as they scored shortly after. Damontae Kazee should be suspended for a hit like this.

Close look at the Cam Newton late hit.pic.twitter.com/Ds2jahY9Gd

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 16, 2018

• The Panthers should consider reaching out to the Browns for Josh Gordon. For three quarters, no receivers wearing white were creating any separation. Jarius Wright may be the best receiver on this team right now.
• The misuse of running back CJ Anderson loomed large in the second half. He has shown success running between the tackles, yet the Panthers refuse to give him carries. His two drops were absolute killers, one leading to an interception.
• The absence of wideout DJ Moore throughout the entirety of the game was incredibly alarming. The rookie was finally given a chance to make a play in the fourth quarter, catching a pass over the middle and taking it 51 yards for a touchdown. Moore was also targeted on the final play of the game on an unsuccessful Hail Mary to the end zone.
• Norv Turner made halftime adjustments to the offense and they were apparent. It was refreshing to see the offense change things up and give themselves a chance in a game where they were down by multiple scores.

Injury Report

Linebacker Jared Norris was injured on a kickoff.

Safety Da’Norris Searcy left the game at half, he is in concussion protocol for the second time this season.

Cornerback Donte Jackson left the game with a hamstring injury. Jackson has already claimed that he will be playing next week.

Main photo:
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