Carolina Panthers’ run at flawless season comes undone in Atlanta

Cam Newton completed a 19-yard pass to Corey Brown on first down but fumbled when stripped by Vic Beasley Jr. on the following play.

It was a virtual lock that Newton would win the award if the Panthers finished with a flawless 16-0 mark, but their loss to the Falcons raises at least a sliver of doubt.

As Jones reached above Kuechly, Panthers safety Kurt Coleman slipped, leaving a clear path for Jones to the end zone.

“We are not flawless”, Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly said.

“That was probably the biggest disappointment”, coach Ron Rivera said.

With all that said, the Panthers were exposed on Sunday in some areas that weren’t just a one-week thing. He completed 28 of 41 pass with a touchdown.

Newton threw for 142 yards and ran for 46 yards and a score for the 14-1 Panthers. Graham tacked on a 54-yard field goal with 1:30 to play.

The unit that entered the game averaging a league-best 32.1 points a game scored a season-low 13.

Not to take anything away from the Falcons and their strong effort in knocking the Panthers (14-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Devonta Freeman ran for 73 yards and a touchdown for the Falcons, who improved to 8-and-7. And while they surrendered 155 yards on the ground, the defense didn’t break, allowing just one touchdown all afternoon.

ATLANTA (AP) – The Carolina Panthers can still clinch home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs with a victory next week, so quarterback Cam Newton likes where they stand. The Seahawks travel to Arizona next Sunday to take on the 13-2 Cardinals in a game in which they’ll likely be underdogs.

In a Football Insiders exclusive interview, Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones spoke about his matchup with Josh Norman, dismissing him as an elite cornerback.

Jones finished with 178 yards on nine receptions and broke his own Falcons record for receiving yards in a season. A win next week at Buffalo clinched a wildcard spot for NY. If Seattle loses, they will finish with the No. 6 seed and will likely have to travel to Green Bay to play a Packers team which has already defeated them this season, and should have beaten them in the NFC Championship Game last season.

Ryan Mallet threw for a career-high 274 yards as the Baltimore Ravens put a three-match losing streak behind them with a surprise 20-17 success over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mallett was signed on December 15 and is the fourth quarterback to start for the 5-10 Ravens in the last six weeks. “We just didn’t take care of business”.

Leading 14-10, the Falcons were driving inside Panthers’ territory, before Ryan mishandled a shotgun snap that was recovered by Norman and returned to the Falcons’ 36-yard line.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) escapes the pressure of Carolina Panthers defensive end Kony Ealy (94) and Jared Allen (69).

Rookie Cameron Artis-Payne again provided a nice spark, and many will argue he should have had more than five carries, but the Panthers’ offense can’t be what it needs to be for a long postseason run without a healthy Jonathan Stewart.

James White’s nine-yard score with less than two minutes remaining helped the Patriots level at 20-20 but, despite winning the coin toss, they gave the ball to the Jets, who did not pass up the chance thanks to Decker and sealed a fifth consecutive win.

– Drew Brees (breez) looked good despite tearing his plantar Fascia ligament in his right foot last Monday, throwing for 412 yards and three touchdowns in New Orleans’ 38-27 victory against Jacksonville.