North Charlotte Today

The Carolina Panthers faced a challenging night against the Atlanta Falcons, with their offense led by Andy Dalton unable to secure a win. Despite early progress, the Panthers fell short in the fourth quarter, resulting in a 38-20 loss.

Head coach Dave Canales emphasized the need for consistency and finishing strong: "For all of us, it's definitely hard when we get into those situations in a one-score game," he said. "And we've just got to finish."

Entering the final quarter trailing 28-20, the Panthers showed potential momentum with successful plays from Chuba Hubbard and a connection between Dalton and Diontae Johnson. However, an interception by Falcons cornerback AJ Terrell proved costly. Reflecting on this play, Dalton stated: "I think if I were to let it go a little bit earlier, I think I probably could have had him but, I mean, he (Terrell) made a great play."

Ian Thomas acknowledged Terrell's skillful interception while also recognizing the team's need for greater consistency: "We just need to be a lot more consistent in what we do," he said.

Dalton displayed promise during the first half with two touchdowns and an impressive passer rating of 119.1. The team executed well during a two-minute drive before halftime. Dalton expressed confidence in their capabilities: "It's when things are going our way...it shows what we can do."

Despite some successes such as Hubbard's running performance and effective pass protection for Dalton, errors persisted. Canales reiterated the importance of consistency: "The message to the team was just consistency," he said.

As they move forward, both players and coaches aim to address these challenges and improve their performance on the field.