Panthers 34, Falcons 3: drive chart, EPA and box score

Week 2 · Sun, Sep 20 · Mercedes-Benz StadiumFinal

Final

	1	2	3	4	T
CAR	10	10	14	0	34
ATL	0	3	0	0	3

Home · 3-6AtlantaFalcons3

At a glanceUpdated Nov 11, 2026, 4:24 AM ET

The Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-3 on Sun, Sep 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA (Week 2, 2026 season). Records after the game: Panthers 3-5, Falcons 3-6. B.Young (CAR) led all players with +12.1 EPA on 39 dropbacks.

Who won Panthers vs Falcons?

The Carolina Panthers won 34-3. By quarter: CAR 10-10-14-0, ATL 0-3-0-0.

Who was the best player in Panthers vs Falcons?

By expected points added: B.Young (CAR, +12.1 EPA on 39 dropbacks), D.Waller (CAR, +5.6 EPA on 3 targets) and T.McMillan (CAR, +3.6 EPA on 10 targets).

What was the turning point of Panthers vs Falcons?

The biggest swing in win probability (9 points toward the Panthers) came in Q1 at 10:48: (Shotgun) B.Young pass short left to C.Hubbard for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. R.Fitzgerald extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Jansen, Holder-S.Martin.

Cite this page

Pigskin Nightly, “Panthers 34, Falcons 3: Week 2 recap”, https://pigskinnightly.com/games/2026-09-20-car-at-atl (updated 2026-11-11).

How we calculate Plain-text version Report an error

The Verdict

Week 2 issue →

Week 2EarnedGame file →

Panthers44% success · +0.10 EPA/play

343

Falcons36% success · −0.41 EPA/play

CAR 100% deserveddeserved 0% ATL

Panthers earned it: the snaps said Panthers by 24.9, a deserved win probability of more than 99%.

Deserved marginCAR by 24.9

Real marginCAR by 31

Luck pts CAR+7.8

Luck pts ATL−6.5

The swingQ1 15:00 · ATL · −14 pts of win probability. 13-C.Rush scrambles right end to ATL 29 for 9 yards (20-Z.Wheatley). FUMBLES (20-Z.Wheatley), RECOVERED by CAR-21-N.Scott at ATL 35. The Replay Official reviewed the runner was not down by contact ruling, and the play…

Flags that moved this game

1Roughing the PasserATL → helped CAR · Wk 2 Q1 12:03 · (Shotgun) 9-B.Young pass deep right to 4-T.McMillan to ATL 5 for 26 yards (24-Aj.Terrell). PENALTY on ATL-95-G.Dexter, Roughing…+6.7 WP
2Illegal FormationATL → helped CAR · Wk 2 Q1 7:29 · 16-J.Bailey punts 49 yards to CAR 30, Center-49-L.McCullough. 18-J.Coker to ATL 34 for 36 yards (16-J.Bailey; 89-C.Woerner).…+4.6 WP

Deserved win probability from the snaps, fumble bounces evened out. How we judge

From the Lab

This game, re-drawn

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Game DNA149 plays, one strand0 lead changes · 6 explosive plays · downloadable poster →

Officiating crewAlex Moore15 accepted flags in this game · 16.8 a game this season (one of the busiest crews)Market vs SnapsLine: CAR by 2.5 · Snaps: CAR by 24.9Panthers covered; the snaps agree

34@3

Week 2Changes the winner

If the Falcons had fallen on their own fumble

Falcons after the play40%what really happened

Q1 15:00 13-C.Rush scrambles right end to ATL 29 for 9 yards (20-Z.Wheatley). FUMBLES (20-Z.Wheatley), RECOVERED by CAR-21-N.Scott at ATL 35. The Replay Official reviewed the runner was not down by contact ruling, and the play was Upheld. The ruling on the field stands.

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Home win probability, play by play

The river

100%

Hover, tap or drag along the river to read any play. Arrow keys work too. Click to jump to its drive.

ATL ▲CAR ▼

Q1Q2Q3Q4

The five biggest swings

+9%Q1 10:48 · for CAR(Shotgun) B.Young pass short left to C.Hubbard for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. R.Fitzgerald extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Jansen, Holder-S.Martin.
+9%Q1 12:03 · for CAR(Shotgun) B.Young pass deep right to T.McMillan to ATL 5 for 26 yards (Aj.Terrell).PENALTY on ATL-G.Dexter, Roughing the Passer, 3 yards, enforced at ATL 5.
+8%Q1 15:00 · for CARC.Rush scrambles right end to ATL 29 for 9 yards (Z.Wheatley). FUMBLES (Z.Wheatley), RECOVERED by CAR-N.Scott at ATL 35. The Replay Official reviewed the runner was not down by contact ruling, and the play was Upheld. The ruling on the field stands.
+7%Q2 0:48 · for CAR(Shotgun) B.Young pass deep middle to X.Legette to ATL 10 for 55 yards (M.Hughes).
+5%Q1 9:07 · for CAR(Shotgun) C.Rush pass short middle intended for Bi.Robinson INTERCEPTED by B.Okereke (D.Lloyd) at CAR 41. B.Okereke to CAR 44 for 3 yards (K.Pitts; D.London).

Every drive, on the field

ATL attacks →← CAR attacks

Q1 15:00FUM1p · 9y · 0:30
Q1 14:30TD8p · 35y · 3:42
Q1 10:48INT4p · 19y · 1:49
Q1 8:59PUNT3p · -5y · 0:23
Q1 8:36PUNT3p · 5y · 1:21
Q1 7:15FG7p · 10y · 2:46
Q1 4:29DOWNS7p · 37y · 3:49
Q1 0:40PUNT3p · -6y · 2:35
Q2 13:05PUNT5p · 12y · 3:35
Q2 9:30FG9p · 73y · 3:36
Q2 5:54FG13p · 65y · 4:47
Q2 1:07TD6p · 73y · 0:47
Q2 0:20HALF2p · 4y · 0:20
Q3 15:00TD10p · 73y · 5:22
Q3 9:38INT5p · 27y · 2:41
Q3 6:57DOWNS7p · 18y · 2:30
Q3 4:27INT3p · 8y · 1:29
Q3 2:58PUNT6p · 19y · 3:04
Q4 14:54PUNT5p · 16y · 4:46
Q4 10:08MISS10p · 29y · 4:23
Q4 5:45PUNT3p · -3y · 2:22
Q4 3:23FUM10p · 31y · 2:41
Q4 0:42END1p · -4y · 0:42

Panthers10 drives5scoring drives (3 TD)50%drives ending in pointsOWN 42avg starting field position3three-and-outs1turnovers incl. downs

Falcons11 drives2scoring drives (1 TD)18%drives ending in pointsOWN 23avg starting field position1three-and-outs6turnovers incl. downs

Scoring summary

Q1
10:48Touchdown(Shotgun) B.Young pass short left to C.Hubbard for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. R.Fitzgerald extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Jansen, Holder-S.Martin.7–0
Q1
4:29Field goalR.Fitzgerald 37 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-J.Jansen, Holder-S.Martin.10–0
Q2
5:54Field goalR.Fitzgerald 25 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-J.Jansen, Holder-S.Martin.13–0
Q2
1:07Field goalN.Folk 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-L.McCullough, Holder-J.Bailey.13–3
Q2
0:20Touchdown(Shotgun) B.Young pass short right to D.Waller for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN. R.Fitzgerald extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Jansen, Holder-S.Martin.20–3
Q3
9:38Touchdown(Shotgun) B.Young pass short right to D.Waller for 12 yards, TOUCHDOWN. R.Fitzgerald extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Jansen, Holder-S.Martin.27–3
Q3
2:58Touchdown(Shotgun) J.Strand pass short right intended for J.Dotson INTERCEPTED by D.Lloyd (Ja.Horn) at ATL 16. D.Lloyd for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN. R.Fitzgerald extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Jansen, Holder-S.Martin.34–3

Team stats

CARvsATL

340Total yards286

272Passing yards129

68Rushing yards157

5.7Yards per play4.3

18First downs17

6-14 · 43%Third down4-13 · 31%

1-2Fourth down1-2

3-6Red zone TDs0-0

23/36Comp / att18/32

3.1Yards per carry4.9

0Turnovers5

2 (−15 yds)Sacks allowed3 (−16 yds)

9 for 63Penalties6 for 39

29:31Possession30:29

Expected points added · nflverse model

The game in EPA

EPA per play+0.142-0.473

Dropback EPA+0.312-0.681

Rush EPA-0.188-0.184

Success rate44%36%

Explosive plays63

Plays5967

Who moved the needle

B.YoungDropbacks: 39+12.1

D.WallerTargets: 3+5.6

T.McMillanTargets: 10+3.6

D.LondonTargets: 5+3.3

X.LegetteTargets: 4+3.1

J.CokerTargets: 9+1.7

Cost their side the most

—

C.RushDropbacks: 20-15.2—

J.StrandDropbacks: 19-11.4

K.PittsTargets: 3-8.3

Box score

Carolina Panthers

Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT	SACKS	QBR	RTG
Bryce YoungQB	23/36	287	8.0	3	0	2-15	92.2	116.3

Rushing	CAR	YDS	AVG	LONG
Chuba HubbardRB	12	53	4.4	12
Jonathon BrooksRB	5	16	3.2	7
Bryce YoungQB	1	6	6.0	6
AJ DillonRB	3	-3	-1.0	1
Kenny PickettQB	1	-4	-4.0	-4

Receiving	REC	TGTS	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Tetairoa McMillanWR	5	10	101	20.2	0	28
Jalen CokerWR	8	9	66	8.3	0	25
Xavier LegetteWR	2	4	64	32.0	0	55
Darren WallerTE	3	3	33	11.0	2	14
Mitchell EvansTE	1	1	13	13.0	0	13
Chuba HubbardRB	2	2	11	5.5	1	8
Tommy TrembleTE	1	2	4	4.0	0	4
Jonathon BrooksRB	1	1	-5	-5.0	0	-5

Defense	TOT	SOLO	SACKS	TFL	PD	QB HTS
Devin LloydLB	9	7	1	2	3	1
Bobby OkerekeLB	9	6	0	0	1	1
Aaron HallDT	6	1	0	0	0	1
Zakee WheatleyS	5	4	0	0	0	0
Tre'von MoehrigS	5	3	0	0	0	0
Jeremiah MoonLB	4	3	0	0	1	0
Lathan RansomS	4	2	0	0	0	0
Akayleb EvansCB	3	2	0	0	0	0
Mike JacksonCB	3	1	0	0	0	0
TeRah EdwardsDT	3	1	0	0	0	0

Kicking	FG	PCT	LONG	XP	PTS
Ryan FitzgeraldPK	2/2	100.0	37	4/4	10

Atlanta Falcons

Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT	SACKS	QBR	RTG
Cooper Rush	10/17	86	5.1	0	2	1-3	5.5	32.6
Jack StrandQB	8/15	59	3.9	0	1	2-13	11.3	35.1

Rushing	CAR	YDS	AVG	LONG
Bijan RobinsonRB	16	72	4.5	11
Brian Robinson Jr.RB	11	51	4.6	9
Cooper Rush	2	20	10.0	11
Jack StrandQB	2	16	8.0	8
Drake LondonWR	1	-2	-2.0	-2

Receiving	REC	TGTS	YDS	AVG	LONG
Drake LondonWR	4	5	51	12.8	17
Austin HooperTE	2	4	20	10.0	13
Brian Robinson Jr.RB	2	2	16	8.0	12
Kyle Pitts Sr.TE	1	3	15	15.0	15
Zachariah BranchWR	2	2	14	7.0	11
Jahan DotsonWR	2	4	11	5.5	8
Bijan RobinsonRB	3	4	9	3.0	4
Chris BlairWR	1	3	6	6.0	6
Olamide ZaccheausWR	1	3	3	3.0	3
Charlie WoernerTE	0	1	0	0.0	0

Defense	TOT	SOLO	SACKS	TFL	PD	QB HTS
Xavier WattsS	7	5	0	0	0	0
Jessie Bates IIIS	7	4	0	0	0	0
Mike HughesCB	5	2	0	0	0	0
C.J. HendersonCB	4	4	0	1	1	0
Cameron ThomasDE	4	3	0.5	0	0	2
LaCale LondonDE	4	2	0	0	0	0
Kendal DanielsLB	3	3	0	1	0	0
Sydney BrownS	3	2	0	0	0	0
Maason SmithDT	3	0	0	0	0	0
Yasir AbdullahLB	2	2	0	0	0	0

Kicking	FG	PCT	LONG	XP	PTS
Nick FolkPK	1/2	50.0	41	0/0	3

Starters, confirmed

ConfirmedEvery game →

Confirmed from the official snap counts: at every position group the starters are the snap leaders. Expected lineup = today's depth chart, adjusted for the injury report.

Expected, did not start

John Metchie IIIWR→ Xavier Legette

Lee HunterNT→ Aaron Hall

Tershawn WhartonRDE→ TeRah Edwards

Patrick Jones IIWLB→ Cam Jackson

Malcolm DeWalt IVLCB→ Mike Jackson

Chau Smith-WadeNB→ Jaycee Horn

Nick ScottFS→ Lathan Ransom

Michael Penix Jr.QB→ Jack Strand

Olamide ZaccheausWR→ Chris Blair

Kyle Pitts Sr.TE→ Charlie Woerner

Corey LevinC→ Ryan Neuzil