Falcons Ride Season-Best Ground Game, Pummel Panthers: 3 Takeaways

The Atlanta Falcons have won three straight games after Sunday's victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson scored two rushing touchdowns in Sunday's win against the Carolina Panthers. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Atlanta Falcons (4-2) dominated the fourth quarter en route to a 38-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers (1-5) on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

The Falcons entered the final quarter leading 28-20. Atlanta's offense scored on each of its two possessions while the defense forced an interception and turnover on downs to seal the team's largest win of the season.

Here are three takeaways from Atlanta's victory ...

Falcons Cap Three-Game Statement to NFC South Foes

When Falcons head coach Raheem Morris addressed the team for the first time this spring, he expressed his goal of running through the NFC South.

Atlanta faced division foes each of the past three weeks and finished 3-0, riding the wave of momentum from wins over the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers into Carolina on Sunday.

The Falcons' three-game winning streak is their first since the end of the 2019 season.

Ground Game Shines

The Falcons dominated through the air in their 36-30 victory over the Buccaneers in Week 5, with quarterback Kirk Cousins throwing for a franchise-record 509 yards.

Atlanta's offense again produced at a high level Sunday, but through a different means: a strong rushing attack.

Running back Bijan Robinson's career-high two rushing scores headlined a 15-carry, 95-yard performance for the second-year pro. His backfield complement, Tyler Allgeier, rushed 18 times for 105 yards and a touchdown. It marked his first 100-yard performance since Week 18 of 2022.

Atlanta finished Sunday with 198 yards on the ground, smashing its previous season high of 152 yards, reached in a Week 2 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. It's only the second time this season the Falcons have rushed for over 100 yards.

Terrell Snaps Lengthy Streak

Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell picked off Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton with 10:53 to play in the fourth quarter. The play marked Terrell's first interception since Week 17 of the 2021 season in a road loss to the Buffalo Bills. It was Jan. 2, 2022.

Terrell's interception was the fifth in his five-year pro career and came at a crucial came, stopping a promising Panthers drive. The Falcons held a 28-20 lead, one Carolina appeared poised to cut into before Terrell undercut the pass.

Atlanta's offense turned Terrell's takeaway into a put-away drive. The nine-play, 84-yard series killed over five minutes off the clock and ended with a two-yard rushing touchdown by running back Tyler Allgeier, giving the Falcons a 35-20 advantage.

What's Next

The Falcons return to action at 1 p.m. Oct. 20, when they welcome the Seattle Seahawks (3-3) into Mercedes-Benz Stadium.