The Falcons dropped their fifth straight game Sunday, falling 30-27 in overtime to the Carolina Panthers as injuries, missed chances and a late quarterback change stalled Atlanta’s best offensive stretches of the afternoon.
The game flipped early in the third quarter when starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. left with a left knee injury, the same knee that kept him out of Atlanta’s loss to Miami in late October. Penix had been sharp before he went down, completing 13 of 16 passes for 175 yards and helping Atlanta build a 21-16 lead.
Kirk Cousins took over and struggled to move the offense in five drives. He finished 6 of 14 for 84 yards and did not lead the Falcons into the end zone.
The Falcons twice settled for field goals after Penix exited and needed a late 45-yard kick from Zane Gonzalez to force overtime. The offense stalled again in the extra period, setting up the Panthers’ winning drive.
Carolina sealed it with a 28-yard field goal after a 54-yard pass from Bryce Young to Tommy Tremble. Young threw for a franchise-record 448 yards, capitalizing on Atlanta’s thin secondary and repeatedly attacking fill-in cornerback Natrone Brooks.
Despite the loss, Atlanta had bright spots on the ground. Bijan Robinson ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns, keeping the Falcons competitive through the second half. Drake London added seven catches for 119 yards before leaving in overtime with a knee injury.
Morris said the late-game issues fall on him.
“You know, we’ve lost a bunch of games in a row in tight moments, and you got to find a way to win those games,” Morris said. “It definitely is on me. There’s no such thing as a losing team. There’s only a losing leader, and I’m the leader, and we lost.”
Atlanta’s defense entered the game short-handed with Dee Alford, Mike Hughes, Leonard Floyd and Zach Harrison all inactive, and the Panthers exploited the gaps. Brooks fumbled a kickoff return in the third quarter, setting up another Carolina scoring chance.
Cousins said he will review the late deep shot to London that fell incomplete with 26 seconds left in regulation.
“It might have been good, but we have to figure out how to make it great,” Cousins said. “Do I need more air? Do I back-shoulder? I’ll talk to Drake and the coaches.”
Morris added that if Cousins starts next week against New Orleans, he will have a role in shaping the offensive plan. Cousins is 32 of 52 for 286 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in relief appearances this season.
Injuries continued to pile up for Atlanta. London was ruled out in overtime with a knee injury. Left guard Matthew Bergeron was inactive with an ankle issue, while Chris Lindstrom returned from a foot injury and started.
The Falcons fall to 3-7 and now head to New Orleans next Sunday as questions grow around execution, health and how quickly the offense can adjust if Penix is unable to play.
