ATL Standard

The Atlanta Falcons faced a challenging game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 18, resulting in a 44-38 loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. This defeat marked the end of the Falcons' 2024 regular season with an 8-9 record, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured the NFC South division title and a postseason spot by defeating the New Orleans Saints.

The Falcons' defense struggled to contain Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, who had not played against them in their previous Week 6 victory over Carolina. Young completed 25 of his 34 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. He also added two rushing touchdowns, demonstrating clear paths to the end zone on both occasions.

A pivotal moment occurred when an interception by Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson led to a touchdown that tied the game in the third quarter. Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s pass bounced off wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III's hands into Jackson's possession. The Panthers capitalized on this turnover with a touchdown pass from Young to tight end Tommy Tremble.

Falcons wide receiver Drake London delivered an impressive performance with ten receptions for a career-high 187 yards and two touchdowns. London's efforts included his first multi-touchdown game and marked his first time surpassing 100 receiving yards in a single half.

Running back Tyler Allgeier reached a milestone by moving into tenth place in career rushing yards for the Falcons, while Bijan Robinson matched an NFL record for most games with at least 50 yards from scrimmage through his first two seasons.

Injury updates revealed that cornerback Mike Hughes was ruled out due to a shoulder injury after being cleared from concussion evaluation earlier in the game. Defensive lineman Demone Harris was also evaluated for a concussion but returned to play.

Falcons editorial staff shared their brief reactions to Sunday's outcome:

- Tori McElhaney noted, "The reality of this team did not match the perception of it (I'll explain in my column later)."

- Will McFadden commented, "The Falcons said they were focused on controlling the controllables, but this game got out of control when it mattered most."

- Terrin Waack reflected on missed opportunities: "Can't help but think about how many times the Falcons were in control of the NFC South."

- Amna Subhan observed growth: "Even though the season ended the way it did, Michael Penix Jr. matured in real time — it was exciting to watch."

In other news unrelated to Sunday's game, KhaDarel Hodge and Chris Lindstrom were named to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, marking Hodge's first selection and Lindstrom's third consecutive honor.