Panthers rout Falcons, move to 1-1 on the season

Published September 20, 2026 04:06 PM The Panthers scored 37 points and lost in Week 1, but they didn’t let a strong offensive performance go to waste this weekend. Bryce Young threw for 204 yards and two touchdowns in the first half in Atlanta and the Panthers put the hammer down in the second half to head home with a 34-3 win over their NFC South rivals. Young’s first-half yardage was a career high and he added a third touchdown pass in the third quarter. Young finished the day 23-of-36 for 287 yards and spread the ball around the entire offense. Tight end Darren Waller caught two touchdowns, running back Chuba Hubbard had the other while wideouts Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker combined for 167 yards on 13 catches. The defense forced four turnovers after being torn apart by Caleb Williams and the Bears in Week 1, although any proclamations that the unit has turned the corner should probably wait until the competition goes back up. Cooper Rush fumbled at the end of a scramble on the first play of the game and then threw two interceptions before being pulled for undrafted rookie Jack Strand. Strand’s first pass was returned for a touchdown by linebacker Devin Lloyd and the rookie finished 8-of-15 for 59 yards before losing a fumble to end his first NFL action. Lloyd also picked off Rush and had a sack in a performance that showed why the Panthers made him an offseason target in free agency. The Falcons have a quick turnaround for a Thursday night game in Green Bay and there’s hope that Michael Penix will be able to make his first appearance of the 2026 season. Tua Tagovailoa could also be deemed healthy enough to play and the Falcons will need to find someone who can give them a better chance to win than they’ve enjoyed through the first two weeks. The Panthers will head to Cleveland to face a Browns team that’s faced plenty of quarterback questions of its own, so the defense may have a chance to get into a groove after their rough start to the year.