Atlanta
Falcons
4-12
22
FINAL
29
Carolina
Panthers
6-10
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 18 matchup, the Carolina Panthers topped the Atlanta Falcons with a final score of 29-22, clinching a crucial win as they head into the postseason. With playoff implications on the line, both teams fought hard, but it was the Panthers who ultimately secured the victory at home.
Carolina's offense was spearheaded by quarterback Bryce Young, who threw for 214 yards, leading the charge in the air. Running back Chuba Hubbard contributed significantly with 87 rushing yards, while receiver Xavier Legette caught five passes for 70 yards, showcasing a balanced offensive attack that kept the Falcons' defense on their heels.
Defensively, the Panthers managed to keep the Falcons in check at key moments, although standout performances came from Atlanta's Divine Deablo, who recorded 12 tackles, and Za'Darius Smith, who notched two sacks. The game’s turning point arrived late in the fourth quarter when the Panthers' defense held strong, preventing a potential game-tying drive from Atlanta, allowing Carolina to emerge victorious and solidify their playoff standing.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Young | QB | 42 | 23 | 214 | 0 | 2 | 49.1 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 31 | 16 | 170 | 0 | 0 | 67.9 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 21 | 87 | 4.1 | 2 | 24 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 17 | 83 | 4.9 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| Bryce Young | QB | 6 | 16 | 2.7 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 1 | 16 | 0 |
| Jonathon Brooks | HB | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Brian Robinson Jr | HB | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Zach Ertz | TE | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | WR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Jahan Dotson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier Legette | WR | 5 | 70 | 14.0 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | WR | 5 | 57 | 11.4 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | 4 | 53 | 13.3 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Darren Waller | TE | 6 | 45 | 7.5 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 4 | 45 | 11.3 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Jalen Coker | WR | 3 | 30 | 10.0 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| Zach Ertz | TE | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 4 | 28 | 7.0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Jonathon Brooks | HB | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Chris Brazzell II | WR | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Tommy Tremble | TE | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Giovanni Ricci | FB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ja'Tavion Sanders | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divine Deablo | MIKE | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kristian Fulton | CB | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kenny Moore II | CB | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Za'Darius Smith | LEDG | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaelan Phillips | REDG | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jerome Baker | SAM | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Lathan Ransom | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Bobby Okereke | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Brown | DT | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaycee Horn | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Tre'von Moehrig | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Walker | LEDG | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chau Smith-Wade | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nic Scourton | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Jackson | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marshon Lattimore | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harold Perkins Jr. | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DaQuan Jones | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyrel Dodson | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lee Hunter | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jackson Kuwatch | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin Lloyd | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anterio Thompson | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Harris | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gervon Dexter Sr | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| George Karlaftis | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Claudin Cherelus | SAM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Fitzgerald | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Nick Folk | K | 2 | 2 | 2 | 35 |

