The Carolina Panthers went into Mercedes-Benz Stadium and took care of business in a big way, dominating the Atlanta Falcons to secure a blowout victory.
It was a stout performance from Carolina on both sides of the ball, as defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero rebounded from allowing 59 points to just three points. Star linebacker Devin Lloyd and quarterback Bryce Young were terrific in the win as the Panthers secured their first Week 2 victory since 2021.
After Sunday's big victory, here are some of my biggest instant reactions from the Panthers' outstanding display in Atlanta.
8 gut reactions from the Carolina Panthers Week 2 victory vs. Falcons
1. Bryce Young didn’t have a clean start to the game, but he locked in midway through the second quarter. It was another consistent performance from the Panthers franchise quarterback, going 23 of 36 for 287 passing yards and three touchdown passes. He made the throws you want your star signal-caller to make and played with incredible command and control. This is a different-looking offense than from the last two years, and once more, Young handles business in Atlanta.
2. However, I’m a little skeptical of Brad Idzik’s lack of an aggressive run game. It wasn’t until late in the game, up several scores, that the Panthers' offensive coordinator began establishing the run. Don’t get me wrong: Carolina’s passing game settled in, but there is some stuff to clean up with Sunday Night Football two weeks away.
3. Speaking of cleaning things up, the Panthers' offensive line and tight ends could not stay away from the yellow flags, finishing the day with a team total of nine penalties for 63 yards, wiping out some impressive runs for Chuba Hubbard in the fourth quarter. These were issues on both sides of the ball in Week 1, but the flags flew on offense today.
4. Once again, general manager Dan Morgan is getting praise for his acquisitions of All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd and Bobby Okereke. When the defensive front filled gaps and disrupted Bijan Robinson’s track, the two were cleaning up with force. Okereke tied for the team lead in tackles (nine) and looked comfortable as the No. 2 inside linebacker without the green dot.
5. Man, Devin Lloyd— he was superb with a team-high nine tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, three passes defended, and two interceptions, including a pick-six. Lloyd showed why he was brought in the first place, funneling to the ball carrier consistently, flying sideline to sideline, and having incredible discipline in coverage. These are the types of performances that help your defense significantly, and he was a big part of the win.
6. Head coach Dave Canales brought up defensive tackle Cam Jackson and safety Zakee Wheatley this week. Jackson played with sound gap integrity and stalemated a couple of drive blocks with good anchors. Wheatley finished with five total tackles and a forced fumble to start the game. I liked what I saw from both players and expect them to have bigger roles going forward.
7. I was impressed with rookie defensive lineman Lee Hunter again on Sunday. He flashed quality pad level and penetrated the backfield on multiple occasions, lining up from the 1-tech to the 4i-tech. I will have to look more at the tape, but the Panthers' second-round selection looks like their top rookie to start the season.
8. Carolina’s pass-catchers were excellent, as No. 1 wideout Tetairoa McMillan led the way with five catches for 105 receiving yards. Veteran tight end Darren Waller finished the day with two touchdown catches; Jalen Coker was reliable as always with eight strong grabs, and Xavier Legette had a monster 55-yard reception on a downfield pass from Young to finish the day with two grabs for 64 yards, showing his value as a vertical threat for Idzik’s offense.
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