Falcons at Panthers
Atlanta Falcons 26, Carolina Panthers 18 · New World League
Final Score
Falcons 26 3 TD · 2 FG · 2 XP
Panthers 18 1 TD · 3 FG · 1 XPMichael Penix Jr 389 yds passingChuba Hubbard 85 yds rushingZachariah Branch 122 yds receivingDadrion Taylor-Demerson 11 tkl defenseTotal yards 436 · 380Passing yards 389 · 292Rushing yards 47 · 88Completions 24/36 · 24/45Yards per carry 2.0 · 3.3Recap
Franchise Hub Beat · 22d ago
The Atlanta Falcons secured a 26-18 victory over the Carolina Panthers in a high-stakes Week 18 matchup, solidifying their playoff positioning. With both teams vying for a crucial win, the Falcons rose to the occasion, showcasing their offensive prowess and defensive resilience.
Leading the charge for Atlanta was quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns, delivering a standout performance. He connected with Zachariah Branch multiple times, who racked up 122 receiving yards, proving to be a reliable target throughout the game. The Falcons’ offensive unit executed their game plan effectively, culminating in a balanced attack that kept the Panthers on their heels.
On the defensive side, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson anchored the Falcons with 11 total tackles, consistently disrupting Carolina's offensive rhythm. Kaleb Proctor contributed with a sack that proved pivotal, applying pressure at key moments. The turning point came in the fourth quarter when Atlanta's defense held strong, preventing a late-game touchdown that would have shifted momentum in favor of the Panthers, ultimately sealing the victory for the Falcons.
Box Score
| Player | C/A | PCT | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcons | ||||||
| Michael Penix JrQB | 24/36 | 67% | 389 | 3 | 0 | 130.4 |
Panthers | ||||||
| Bryce YoungQB | 24/45 | 53% | 292 | 1 | 0 | 80.9 |
| Player | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcons | |||||||
| Bijan RobinsonHB | 18 | 36 | 2.0 | 21 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Jahan DotsonWR | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Zachariah BranchWR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Drake LondonWR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Panthers | |||||||
| Chuba HubbardHB | 24 | 85 | 3.5 | — | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Bryce YoungQB | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | — | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillanWR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | |||||||
| Brian Robinson JrHB | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | — | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Velus Jones JrHB | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Player | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcons | |||||||
| Zachariah BranchWR | 5 | 122 | 24.4 | 74 | 2 | 67 | 0 |
| Drake LondonWR | 6 | 116 | 19.3 | 54 | 1 | 54 | 0 |
| Jahan DotsonWR | 8 | 87 | 10.9 | 27 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Matthew HibnerTE | 4 | 49 | 12.3 | 7 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Bijan RobinsonHB | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 14 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
Panthers | |||||||
| Tetairoa McMillanWR | 6 | 79 | 13.2 | 23 | 1 | 24 | 0 |
| Xavier LegetteWR | 6 | 64 | 10.7 | 15 | 0 | 24 | 1 |
| Jalen CokerWR | 4 | 55 | 13.8 | 6 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Chris Brazzell IIWR | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 2 |
| Other | |||||||
| Darren WallerTE | 5 | 73 | 14.6 | 12 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Ben VanSumerenFB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Tommy TrembleTE | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Brian Robinson JrHB | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcons | |||||
| Dadrion Taylor-DemersonFS | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian HarrisMIKE | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylen EveretteCB | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trenton SimpsonWILL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nate WigginsCB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates IIIFS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon WalkerLEDG | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaleb ProctorDT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Terrell JrCB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon DorlusDT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pearce JrREDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gervon Dexter SrDT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Panthers | |||||
| Jaycee HornCB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin LloydWILL | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taylor RappSS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tre'von MoehrigFS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Derrick BrownDT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chau Smith-WadeCB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaelan PhillipsREDG | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nic ScourtonLEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bobby Brown IIIDT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | |||||
| Kader KohouCB | 6 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike JacksonCB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bobby OkerekeMIKE | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marte MapuSAM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avieon TerrellCB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | FG | XP | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|
Falcons | |||
| Nick FolkK | 2/2 | 2 | 30 |
Panthers | |||
| Ryan FitzgeraldK | 3/3 | 1 | 46 |
