Ryan Fitzgerald drilled a game-winning 28-yard field goal with 5:10 left in overtime on Sunday to help the visiting Carolina Panthers rally for a 30-27 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Bryce Young threw for a career-high 448 yards and passed for three touchdowns for Carolina (6-5), which trailed by 14 points in the first half. Tetairoa McMillan had 130 receiving yards and two scores for the Panthers, who swept the season series for the first time since 2013.
Michael Penix Jr. threw for 175 yards before exiting in the third quarter with a knee injury. Kirk Cousins threw for 48 yards in relief for Atlanta (3-7), which dropped its fifth straight. Drake London had 119 receiving yards and Bijan Robinson totaled 104 rushing yards and two scores for the reeling Falcons.
After Atlanta began overtime with a three-and-out, Young’s 54-yard pass to Tommy Tremble set up Fitzgerald’s game-winner.
Carolina trailed by 11 at halftime but found the end zone early in the third quarter as Young hit Xavier Legette for a 36-yard score. The Panthers’ two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving their deficit at 21-16.
Fitzgerald’s 34-yard kick pulled the visitors within two with 58 seconds left in the third.
The Falcons punted on their next two drives, while Young tripped attempting a handoff on fourth-and-1 to turn the ball over on downs at the Panthers’ 39-yard line at the 3:04 mark of the fourth.
Zane Gonzalez drilled a 52-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 24-19 lead with 2:43 remaining.
Young completed passes to Ja’Tavion Sanders, Brycen Tremayne and Rico Dowdle to set up his 12-yard throw to McMillan for the go-ahead score with 1:08 left. Jalen Coker caught the ensuing two-point conversion.
Cousins’ pair of 11-yard completions to David Sills V and Robinson led to Gonzalez’s game-tying 45-yarder with 16 seconds left.
Young’s 7-yard touchdown pass to McMillan gave Carolina a 7-0 lead with 5:25 left in the opening quarter. Robinson broke through three potential Carolina tacklers to knot the score with his 4-yard touchdown rush.
Robinson’s 1-yard rushing score gave the Falcons a 14-7 lead at the 7:52 mark of the second quarter.
Atlanta doubled its lead with 1:41 left in the first half when Tyler Allgeier bulled his way for a 1-yard touchdown rush.
Fitzgerald’s 29-yarder with 25 seconds on the clock trimmed Carolina’s halftime deficit to 21-10.
–Field Level Media
