5 big talking points from the Panthers win at the Falcons in Week 8

What were the main talking points as the Carolina Panthers snapped a four-game skid with a win on the road over the Atlanta Falcons?

For the first time since Week 3, it’s a victory Monday for the Carolina Panthers.

After losing four in a row, the Panthers responded well with a 19-13 win on the road against their NFC South rivals, the Atlanta Falcons. A huge success regarding their future aspirations as the season goes on.

The Panthers responded well after the embarrassment against the New York Giants last week. Carolina established Matt Rhule’s running identity for well over 200 yards, with the return of star linebacker Shaq Thompson and the debut of recent acquisition Stephon Gilmore gave the defense a real lift as they stifled Matt Ryan holding him to just 146 passing yards.

We also saw a solid all-around special teams performance with Zane Gonzalez continuing his rise. The kicker was a perfect four-for-four including a career-long 57-yard field goal. And it was also an impressive debut for Lachlan Edwards as his four punts had an average of 44 yards.

One can question the quality of opposition once again. But they had won their last two and three of the last four games, so it was a huge test of character for the Panthers after such a torrid month without Christian McCaffrey in the backfield.

Without further ado, here are five big talking points that emerged from Carolina’s much-needed win in Week 8.