That started early, after running back Chuba Hubbard fumbled on the first snap of the game. The defense followed by holding the Falcons to a short field goal.
That may have set the tone for the entire day, with the entire team taking turns picking each other up.
A defense that had grown weary in some recent games after being left on the field too long (4-of-27 third-down conversions by the offense the last two weeks meant long workdays for the defense) was able to catch its breath because the Panthers converted 10-of-17 Sunday.
That enabled them to run the ball 47 times for 203 yards, and control the clock for a nearly 11-minute time of possession edge (35:23-24:37).
And a fresher defense held the Falcons to 131 passing yards, Matt Ryan's fewest in 27 career starts against the Panthers.
"We were challenged, not just by the outside, but by our peers," veteran left tackle Cameron Erving said. "We were challenged, and we just tried to come out and respond. Play one play at a time and do what we can do, do what we know we can do, and I feel like we answered the call this week.
"But it was one game. It was a good team win, complementary football. These are the types of games we try to gain momentum. You saw what we can do on the ground, and we try to build on that."
It took backup quarterback P.J. Walker averting a crisis and Hubbard running it into the end zone in the fourth quarter, after starter Sam Darnold played his best game in weeks.
Darnold left the game with a concussion (which came at the end of one of his eight runs for 66 yards), and the Panthers weren't going to let his work go to waste.
"The biggest thing was we played as a team today," Hubbard said. "We played for each other. I feel like we do that every week, but we took it to another level today.
"The biggest thing we talked about this week was having each other's backs. Sam was balling all game. He took a shot, put his body on the line, and it was our job to respond. And we did that."
"all day" - Google News
November 01, 2021 at 05:55AM
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Panthers "stood for each other" in streak-breaking win - Panthers.com
"all day" - Google News
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