The Atlanta Falcons dominated the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte to get their third win of what has been a tumultuous season. They are now 3-7 with a very outside shot at a playoff berth this year.

Winner: QB Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan played about as flawless of a game as he could have. He went 21-for-31 for 311 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers on the day. He also gained a yard on a fourth-and-1 that led to points later on in the drive. The Falcons got exactly the kind of performance they have gotten from him all season, and it’s about time the team rallied around him.

Loser: RB Brian Hill

Getting 16 touches for 38 yards and no scores was not a good sign for Brian Hill’s future as a starting running back in Atlanta. He’s been solid for the Falcons this season, but he’s not getting the blocking or working with the blocking well enough to gain real yardage. The team needs more from him moving forward, or this winning streak could be cut short.

Winner: WR Julio Jones

Julio Jones doesn’t have to see a lot of targets to produce. He was targeted just eight times in this one, but the Falcons still got six catches for 91 yards out of him. His biggest catch went for 48 yards and took the Falcons down to the two yard line to set up a touchdown run by rookie Qadree Ollison. Atlanta got a great performance out of Julio Jones.

Loser: Falcons’ containment of Christian McCaffrey

The Falcons had trouble containing Christian McCaffrey in this one. He had 25 touches for 191 yards with the majority of it coming from short screens and flat routes that went for a lot of yards after the catch. His carries highlighted a Falcons run defense that was having a rough day, as well. The rest of the defense showed up, so maybe they just decided to let him get his yards and keep Carolina out of the end zone.

Winner: CB Desmond Trufant

Desmond Trufant had one of his best games as a Falcon in this one. He had a tackle for loss on a key second down play early. He also had an interception in the red zone to prevent a touchdown. The Falcons needed him since he’s been injured for several weeks. This defense is much better with Trufant than without, and he showed it today with his performance.

Winner: LB De’Vondre Campbell

The Falcons kicked it off on defense with De’Vondre Campbell taking advantage of a bad decision by Kyle Allen with his interception. His 11 tackles, one pass deflection and overall solid play was a big factor in the Falcons’ dominant defensive performance. Campbell has been coming on strong the last three weeks.

Winner: S Ricardo Allen and S Damontae Kazee

The Falcons safety pairing had an amazing game against the Panthers. Ricardo Allen and Damontae Kazee combined for four passes defended and two interceptions against Kyle Allen. They made plays on the ball all game and forced incompletions in key spots. Their coverage on third downs helped the pass rush crush Allen multiple times as well.

Winner: Falcons pass rush

The Falcons got after Kyle Allen early and often. With a combined five sacks, 10 quarterback hits and relentless pressure on over three quarters of their plays this week, Atlanta’s pass rush is finally turning the corner. That’s now 11 sacks over the last two weeks to combine with four pressures that turned into turnovers along with a third down defense that’s been much improved.

Game MVP: WR Calvin Ridley

Whenever the Falcons wanted a big play against the Panthers, they would just dial up a shot to Calvin Ridley. Of his eight catches, three of them combined for 97 yards—catches of 34, 36 and 27 yards, respectively. Ridley also got a touchdown on one of the best routes he’s run as a Falcon. The second-year WR has been taking that next step, and he’s shown he’s a true No. 2 to Julio Jones.

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