Falcon Report

Falcons vs. Panthers WATCH: Jessie Bates Intercepts Bryce Young Again, Forces Fumble

Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III is having a strong season opener against the Carolina Panthers.

Daniel Flick

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The Atlanta Falcons' season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium featured a case of Deja vu.

Falcons safety Jessie Bates III, who intercepted Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young in the first quarter, did so once more in the third, stalling Carolina's offense just shy of midfield and getting a crucial stop for Atlanta's defense.

Here's a look at Bates' second interception of the day ...

After the play, Bates glanced at Carolina's sideline and held up two fingers, reminding the sideline that it was the second time he picked off Young.

It's been a stellar Falcons debut for Bates, who signed a four-year, $64 million contract with the Falcons this spring after a strong five seasons as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Bates, 26, was brought to Atlanta with the intent of being a game-changer on the back end, and his two interceptions have led to each of the Falcons' scoring drives.

On the first interception, Bates gave Atlanta the ball inside Carolina's redzone and rookie running back Bijan Robinson did the rest, defeating three defenders on his way to the endzone.

This time, the Falcons offense started just past midfield and put together three consecutive hand-offs before settling for a Younghoe Koo 49-yard field goal to tie the game at 10.

But Bates didn't stop there.

The 2018 third-round pick forced a fumble on Carolina's next drive, knocking the ball out of running back Miles Sanders' hands.

Atlanta's offense immediately capitalized, marching down the field for a touchdown to take a 17-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.

And that, by all accounts, has created a debut worth getting excited about.

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Daniel Flick
DANIEL FLICK

Daniel Flick is an accredited NFL writer for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Daniel has provided boots-on-ground coverage at the NFL Combine and from the Atlanta Falcons' headquarters, among other destinations, and contributed to the annual Lindy's Sports Magazine ahead of the 2023 offseason. Daniel is a co-host on the 404TheFalcon podcast and previously wrote for the Around the Block Network and Georgia Sports Hospitality Media.

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