CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bijan Robinson ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns, Tyler Allgeier added 105 yards rushing and a score and the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Carolina Panthers 38-20 on Sunday for their third win over an NFC South foe in three weeks.
Kirk Cousins completed 19 of 30 passes for 225 yards and threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Drake London.
Carolina's Andy Dalton finished 26 of 38 for 221 yards with two touchdowns passes and two fourth-quarter interceptions for the Panthers (1-5), who have lost three straight.
The Panthers trailed 28-20 early in the fourth quarter and were moving the ball effectively on the ground with Chuba Hubbard picking up three first downs before Dalton took a shot downfield and was intercepted by A.J. Terrell.
All of Carolina's momentum slipped away.
The Falcons quickly capitalized, pounding away at Carolina's worn-down defense going 84 yards in nine plays for the clinching touchdown. Atlanta ran the ball seven times on the drive for 70 yards and four first downs before Allgeier scored on a 2-yard burst with 5:38 left.
The Falcons (4-2) jumped out to a 22-17 halftime lead behind touchdowns runs of 5 and 7 yards by Robinson and perfectly thrown TD strike from Cousins to Landon on a slant route on third down.
The Panthers made it difficult on themselves with a variety of self-inflicted errors including three false starts, a bad snap, a dropped pass, a blown blocking assignment and a miscommunication on a handoff where Dalton had to corral the ball and dive forward for a short gain. There was also an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the Falcons' second touchdown that prompted Raheem Morris to bypass going for an extra point, resulting in a 2-point conversion run by Allgeier after the ball was spotted at the 1.
But Dalton's two touchdown passes — a 10-yarder to Diontae Johnson and a 7-yarder to rookie Xavier Legette in the back left corner of the end zone just before halftime — and some nifty running kept the Panthers within striking distance at the break.
Falcons: S Micah Abernathy injured his knee early in the first quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. S Justin Simmons left the game with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter and did not return.
Panthers: LB Claudin Cherelus left the game in the second half with a hamstring injury and did not return.
Falcons: Host Seattle next Sunday.
Panthers: At Washington next Sunday.
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