Carolina
Panthers
0-1
38
FINAL
28
Atlanta
Falcons
1-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 2 showdown, the Carolina Panthers outlasted the Atlanta Falcons with a final score of 38-28. Both teams were looking to establish momentum early in the 2026 season, but it was the Panthers who emerged victorious, showcasing their offensive prowess.
Leading the charge for Carolina was quarterback Bryce Young, who threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns, delivering a standout performance. He found a reliable target in Tetairoa McMillan, who racked up 99 receiving yards, making critical catches to keep drives alive. Meanwhile, Bijan Robinson led the Falcons on the ground with 75 rushing yards, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Panthers' offensive firepower.
Defensively, the Panthers made their presence known, with Derrick Brown dominating the line with three sacks, disrupting Atlanta's rhythm throughout the game. Bobby Okereke also contributed to the defensive effort, snagging an interception that proved pivotal in shifting momentum in favor of Carolina. The turning point came late in the third quarter when Young connected on a touchdown pass that extended their lead, allowing the Panthers to maintain control and secure the win.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Young | QB | 28 | 21 | 246 | 3 | 0 | 136.9 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 19 | 9 | 187 | 2 | 3 | 78.0 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 7 | 75 | 10.7 | 1 | 53 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 16 | 42 | 2.6 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Trevor Etienne | HB | 6 | 30 | 5.0 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Bryce Young | QB | 8 | 13 | 1.6 | 2 | 19 | 1 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Xavier Legette | WR | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | 6 | 99 | 16.5 | 0 | 52 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 3 | 97 | 32.3 | 1 | 37 | 0 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | WR | 4 | 88 | 22.0 | 1 | 33 | 0 |
| Chris Brazzell II | WR | 5 | 63 | 12.6 | 3 | 28 | 0 |
| Xavier Legette | WR | 3 | 33 | 11.0 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Trevor Etienne | HB | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 4 | 16 | 4.0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Darren Waller | TE | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Austin Hooper | TE | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Brown | DT | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bobby Okereke | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Scott | SS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaycee Horn | CB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Bowman Jr | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Jackson | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Divine Deablo | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Da'Shawn Hand | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pearce Jr | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avieon Terrell | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gervon Dexter Sr | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jaelan Phillips | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tre'von Moehrig | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Claudin Cherelus | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jalon Walker | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kader Kohou | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Harris | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nic Scourton | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Folk | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Ryan Fitzgerald | K | 1 | 1 | 5 | 42 |

