Carolina
Panthers
1-0
27
FINAL
14
Atlanta
Falcons
1-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a commanding performance, the Carolina Panthers topped the Atlanta Falcons with a final score of 27-14 in Week 2 of the 2026 season. This victory not only boosts the Panthers' confidence early in the season but also sets a competitive tone in the NFC South.
Leading the charge for Carolina was quarterback Jalen Milroe, who threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns, showcasing his ability to move the offense effectively. Derrick Henry added a solid ground game with 79 rushing yards, while Ricky Pearsall emerged as a key target, racking up 96 receiving yards. Together, they provided a balanced attack that kept the Falcons' defense on their heels.
Defensively, the Panthers were relentless, with Tacario Davis recording a team-high eight tackles, anchoring the unit throughout the game. Myles Garrett was a disruptive force, notching 1.5 sacks that played a crucial role in stifling Atlanta's offensive momentum. The turning point came in the second quarter when Garrett's pressure forced a critical turnover, allowing the Panthers to capitalize and extend their lead, ultimately securing the victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Milroe | QB | 41 | 26 | 63% | 237 | 2 | 0 | 95.2 |
| C.J. Stroud | QB | 38 | 21 | 55% | 225 | 1 | 0 | 81.5 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Henry | HB | 11 | 79 | 7.2 | 32 | 1 | 26 | 0 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 15 | 65 | 4.3 | 26 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| Jalen Milroe | QB | 7 | 17 | 2.4 | — | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| Kareem Hunt | HB | 9 | 10 | 1.1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Josh Downs | WR | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | — | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| C.J. Stroud | QB | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | WR | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | — | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Jadarian Price | HB | 6 | 3 | 0.5 | — | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Ricky Pearsall | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eli Stowers | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kayshon Boutte | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chigoziem Okonkwo | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricky Pearsall | WR | 7 | 96 | 13.7 | 20 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Josh Downs | WR | 7 | 74 | 10.6 | 23 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Chigoziem Okonkwo | TE | 4 | 57 | 14.3 | 7 | 1 | 26 | 0 |
| Alec Pierce | WR | 5 | 56 | 11.2 | 14 | 1 | 17 | 0 |
| Kayshon Boutte | WR | 5 | 55 | 11.0 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Eli Stowers | TE | 5 | 48 | 9.6 | 23 | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | WR | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 3 | 15 | 5.0 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Juwan Johnson | TE | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| De'Zhaun Stribling | WR | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Derrick Henry | HB | 3 | 6 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Jadarian Price | HB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myles Garrett | LEDG | 7 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tacario Davis | CB | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Divine Deablo | MIKE | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ronnie Harrison Jr | WILL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Bosa | REDG | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nolan Smith Jr | LEDG | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jihaad Campbell | MIKE | 5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jadeveon Clowney | LEDG | 5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jourdan Lewis | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jailin Walker | MIKE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Simmons | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malaki Starks | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Benjamin St-Juste | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Asante Samuel Jr | CB | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lukas Van Ness | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Teair Tart | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Anzalone | WILL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Dillon Thieneman | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peter Woods | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Joshua Williams | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Devin Lloyd | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper DeJean | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kevin Winston Jr | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zane Durant | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah McGuire | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Green | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Carter | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Micah McFadden | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaden Hicks | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Butker | K | 2 | 2 | 3 | 47 |
| Jason Myers | K | 2 | 2 | 0 | 44 |

