Falcons at Panthers live game updates: Carolina loses third straight game

The Carolina Panthers defense just couldn’t get off the field Thursday night at Bank of America Stadium.

Atlanta had long drive after long drive, and Carolina stayed in the game only because it was able to bow up a few times near the goal line. That forced the Falcons to kick four field goals.

But on a night when quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was briefly knocked out of the game and wide receiver DJ Moore was mostly a spectator, the Panthers lost a good chance to sweep their rivals for the first time in seven years. Atlanta won 25-17 and the Panthers lost their third in a row.

Atlanta didn’t punt until there were about three minutes to play. That gave Carolina the ball at its 5, down eight points, with 2:58 to play. The Panthers had three timeouts. Moore caught his first pass of the game, a 13-yard crossing route, with 2:50 to play.

Moore later caught a 42-yard third-down pass with 1:19 left. That gave Carolina a first down at the Atlanta 34. Moore turned around Falcons defensive back AJ Terrell on the play before making a leaping grab.

A few plays after that, however, Bridgewater was intercepted by Blidi Wreh-Wilson, while targeting Moore, with less than a minute to play at the Falcons’ 12.

Carolina is 3-5. Atlanta is 2-6.

▪ Bridgewater completed 15-of-23 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown. He ran five times for 30 yards. Mike Davis ran 13 times for 66 yards. Curtis Samuel had a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown.

▪ Atlanta QB Matt Ryan completed 21-of-30 passes for 281 yards. Julio Jones caught seven passes for 137 yards.

Here are Thursday’s updates

Matt Rhule’s Panthers have lost two in a row entering their “Thursday Night Football” game against the Falcons and are looking to even up their record at 4-4. Atlanta (1-6), meanwhile, is trying to overcome a horrific start to the season filled with fourth-quarter collapses and the firing of its coach.

Kickoff for tonight’s game is at 8:20 p.m. We have a full scouting and injury report available here. If you’re looking for national predictions on the game, we have that, too.

There is rain in the forecast, but the remnants of Hurricane Zeta passed through Charlotte on Thursday morning and have made their way out of North Carolina.

The Observer has 5 journalists at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte covering the Falcons vs. Panthers game, including two photographers. Follow along below for live updates and insight from the nationally televised game.

Panthers LB Brian Burns injured

Carolina linebacker Brian Burns got a sack on Atlanta QB Matt Ryan and stayed on the field with 4:46 to play. A penalty on the Panthers negated the third down sack and gave Atlanta a first down, however.

Teddy Bridgewater returns for Panthers

On second and 10 at the 46 with 9:45 left, Teddy Bridgewater returned to the game. He was listed with a neck injury and cleared concussion protocol. The Panthers completed two passes, to Robby Anderson and Curtis Samuel but the Panthers were forced to punt with 8:24 left.

Todd Gurley TD: Falcons 25, Panthers 17 (11:01, fourth quarter)

After holding Atlanta to field goals on several possessions, the Falcons got their second touchdown of the game, on a 3-yard run from Todd Gurley, who played high school football at Tarboro High in North Carolina. Younghoe Koo missed the extra-point, however, his third PAT miss of the season. That kept the Panthers within one score (a touchdown and a 2-point conversion).

Joey Slye FG: Falcons 19, Panthers 17 (3:00, third quarter)

After Teddy Bridgewater was knocked out of the game, the Panthers couldn’t move the ball and Joey Slye’s 39-yard field goal cut Atlanta’s lead to 2.

Teddy Bridgewater suffers hit to head

Donte Fowler kicked Teddy Bridgewater around the knees, tripping him with his right leg on a third quarter scramble. Bridewater stumbled after the kick and was going down. Bridgewater was hit by Falcons defensive lineman Charles Harris as he spun and fell with 4:20 left in the third quarter. Harris’ right shoulder hit Bridgewater’s helmet.

Two fouls were called: tripping on Fowler and unnecessary roughness of Harris, who was disqualified.

Bridgewater was replaced with PJ Walker.

▪ With 5:45 left in the third quarter, down 19-14, the Panthers tried a fake punt at its 30. Carolina had not converted two earlier fourth down attempts.

The ball was snapped to rookie Jeremy Chinn, who ran over the right side for 28 yards. That kept the drive alive and led to the Slye field goal.

Panthers DB Donte Jackson may not return

Panthers defensive back Donte Jackson has a toe injury and is questionable to return. Jackson has been battling the injury for several weeks.

Jackson had an interception earlier in the game.

Younghoe Koo FG: Falcons 19, Panthers 14 (6:22, third quarter)

The Panthers defense took the field after the offense was stopped on its second straight failed fourth down attempt. Atlanta drove, but the Panthers stopped the Falcons on third and 9 at their 17 to force an Atlanta field goal.

Younghoe Koo hit his fourth field goal of the game from 29 yard out.

Panthers stopped on fourth down...Again

On the opening possession of the second half, the Panthers were stopped on a fourth and 2 at the Atlanta 42 with 11:40 left in the third quarter. Mike Davis appeared to slip as he tried to run over the right side and was met by Atlanta’s Grady Jarrett.

Carolina was also stopped on a fourth down try on its final possession of the second quarter. Atlanta got the ball and turned that into a field goal and a halftime lead.

Falcons 16, Panthers 14: Halftime observations

Even after all the Falcons’ bad personal foul penalties and pass interference calls, the Panthers still trail at the half, 16-14.

The Panthers should be leading, but a couple of mistakes, and the defense’s inability to get off the field has cost them.

Here are two things that have gone wrong.

Pressure on Matt Ryan

When the defense has pressured Ryan, things have gone well. Donte Jackson’s second quarter interception was the result of great pressure by defensive end Brian Burns, who forced Ryan to throw it earlier than he wanted to. The ball sailed on Ryan and Jackson caught it.

But when there hasn’t been pressure, Ryan has found open receivers. Wide receiver Julio Jones had a field day against Jackson in the first quarter.

He has since slowed down, but still on pace for a huge game. He has four catches for 85 yards. Ryan is 13 of 19 for 197 yards and the interception.

Questionable play call

On fourth-and-1, from the Falcons 34, the Panthers ran bootleg play, where Bridgewater attempted to scramble for the first down, instead of running it with Mike Davis. Davis had some success in the first half, running for 38 yards on eight carries.

Bridgewater came up well short of the first down and the Falcons took over and scored on their next drive.

The Falcons’ drive ended in a short field goal, which gave them the 16-14 lead.

Younghoe Koo FG: Falcons 16, Panthers 14 — Halftime

Despite struggling to slow the Atlanta offense on its final drive, Carolina got a sack and a Brian Burns tackle on a scrambling Matt Ryan to force a 36-yard field attempt by Younghoe Koo.

Atlanta got the ball with 3:55 left in the first half. The Falcons stopped a fourth and 1 by the Panthers. Bridgewater tried a QB option run and was run down by Foyesade Oluokun before he could get the first down.

MATT RYAN TD: Panthers 14, Falcons 13 (8:02, second quarter)

Matt Ryan was pressured by Brian Burns but escaped to his right and ran in for a 13-yard score. That touchdown -- the 10th rushing touchdown of Ryan’s career -- got the Falcons within one point. But earlier in the drive, receiver Calvin Ridley appeared to suffer an injury to his left ankle.

Ridley left the game and is questionable to return.

Curtis Samuel TD: Panthers 14, Falcons 6 (12:40, second quarter)

After Curtis Samuel converted a third down with a catch, the Panthers ran a flea flicker -- Teddy Bridgewater handed off to Mike Davis who pitched back to Bridgewater before he crossed the line of scrimmage.

Next, Bridgewater threw his ninth touchdown pass of the season, a pretty 29-yarder to Samuel, who caught it after Falcons defensive back Ricardo Allen appeared to tip the ball.

▪ Carolina got the ball in great field position after Donte Jackson intercepted a Matt Ryan pass instead for Calvin Ridley. Brian Burns forced a bad throw by pressuring Matt Ryan and the Panthers, up 7-6, got the ball at the Falcons 40 with 14:47 left in the first half.

Koo FG: Panthers 7, Falcons 6 (2:41, first quarter)

On third and 10 at the Panthers’ 13, Efe Obada got his first sack of the year for a six-yard loss. That forced a 37-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo.

Curtis Samuel TD: Panthers 7, Falcons 3 (8:14, first quarter)

After a pair of impressive plays from Mike Davis, wide receiver Curtis Samuel ran (very fast) up the middle for a 12-yard scoring run.

Atlanta DB Kendall Sheffield injured

Atlanta Falcon defensive back Kendall Sheffield was injured on the Panthers’ first offensive play. Sheffield was defending Carolina receiver D.J. Moore. As quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s pass was thrown towards Moore, Sheffield was hit by teammate Keanu Neal, and is being evaluated for a possible head injury. His return is questionable.

Younghoe Koo FG: Falcons 3, Panthers 0 (11:14 first quarter)

The Falcons sped down the field on their opening drive with QB Matt Ryan completing four passes on four attempts for 70 yards. The drive stalled, however, and the Falcons chose to have Younghoe Koo kick a 20-yard field goal instead of go for 4th and 1 near the Panthers goal line.

Fox analyst Troy Aikman questioned the decision.

“I was really surprised when they decided to go for the three points,” Aikman said.

8:21 p.m.: Panthers will kick

Carolina won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. The Falcons will receive the opening kickoff and move right to left.

We are underway.

7:43 p.m.: Uniform update

The Panthers are wearing black tops and black pants for the first time this season with their traditional silver helmets. The Falcons are wearing white tops and black pants.

6:51 p.m.: Inactive player list is out

Bad news for the Panthers: They’ll be without starting offensive tackle Russell Okung and starting defensive tackle Zach Kerr. The Falcons are without rookie defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, a second-round pick out of Auburn, who was recently activated from the COVID-19/reserve list.

The full inactive player list is available here.

Is Christian McCaffrey playing for the Panthers?

No.

Carolina had until 4 p.m. to activate him off the designated to return list in order to play Thursday. Mike Davis will start for the Panthers at running back.

What’s the weather forecast for the Falcons-Panthers game?

Tropical Storm Zeta made its way through the Carolinas on Thursday and knocked over plenty of trees and power lines, leaving thousands without electricity.

The forecast calls for temperatures in the 70s at kickoff with cloudy skies with a 53% chance of rain beginning at 9 p.m. The tropical storm warning is scheduled to expire at 10:45 p.m.

What channel is the Falcons-Panthers game on and how do I stream it?

Tonight’s 8:20 p.m. kickoff between Falcons and Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte will be simulcast on FOX and the NFL Network. You can stream the game on FoxSports.com by logging in through your cable or satellite provider. It’s also available on YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV with a valid subscription.

Alternatively, you can watch the game via Amazon Prime if you are a member. The game can be live streamed on any Internet-connected device by opening the Amazon Video app on your mobile phone or smart TV.

If you don’t have the app, visit Amazon.com/primevideo or download the Prime Video app on your mobile device.

If you are unable to view the game, we will provide live updates and video and photo highlights on this page.

This story was originally published October 29, 2020 at 6:28 PM.