The Panthers improve to 6-2 and take sole ownership of 1st place in the NFC South as they best the Falcons in Charlotte 31 - 28. After the Panthers started the game with a 3 and out the Falcons went right to work sustaining a nice drive that ended in a TD putting the score early at 7-0. The teams then traded TDs and the score was quickly 14 - 14. After an INT with just under 2 minutes to go in the half the Panthers were able to make some big plays down the field and kick a field goal to go up 17-14 at the half. Another interception at the beginning of the second half would lead to a Panthers touchdown putting the game at 24-14 where it sat for a while. After an interception by Cam Newton the Falcons drove down the field and made it a 3 point game with about 4 minutes remaining. The Panthers were not able to convert on a 3rd down pass that Ted Ginn dropped after getting hit with the ball in his hands and the Falcons got the ball back with good field position after a nice punt return. With a 4th and 2 from the Panthers 36 yard line the Falcons chose to kick the long but makeable field goal and came up just short. With less than 2 minutes to go the Panthers were hoping to run the ball and get a few first downs to put the game away. However, on the 2nd play of the drive DeAngelo Williams broke loose down the middle of the field for a long touchdown making the score 31 - 21. With only 2 timeouts left and not much time on the clock the Falcons needed to come up with a quick score and they did just that. Julio Jones made a ridiculous catch on the sideline and it was again a 3 point game with :42 to go, but the Falcons were not able to recover the onside kick and the game was over. The Panthers gave a game ball to DeAngelo Williams as he ran for 188 yards and 2 TDs on 17 carries.
