CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Falcons suspected the Panthers would put up a fight.
They did with veteran quarterback Andy Dalton trying to have a flashback, the Panthers were on the move in a one-score game. But cornerback A.J. Terrell stepped in front of a pass intended for tight end Ian Thomas for an interception to help lift the Falcons to a 38-20 victory on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
“It was well overdue,” Terrell said. “Just, it felt great just to put your hands on the ball and make a play.”
Finally, the Falcons didn’t have a one-score game that went down to the final seconds.
Terrell’s last interception was on Jan. 2, 2021 in a 29-15 loss to the Bills. Before the pick, Terrell had played 36 games without getting an interception.
“It’s been a minute,” said Terrell, who ran down the field and tossed the ball up toward to stands. “I’ve got the ball. It was just emotion. My momentum took me out of bounds. I just took a little victory lap.”
The Falcons promptly moved down the field on a nine-play, 84-yard touchdown drive that was capped by a 2-yard run by running back Tyler Allgeier.
“There is (nothing) bigger (than) when you can run it down,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “Control the football. Eat up clock. Score touchdowns and then just walk away with a win.”
Second-year cornerback Clark Phillips III also added a late interception to help wrap up the game. He could have scored, but slid down.
“That was a smart play, by a young football player,” Morris said. “I am so proud of him.”
With the victory, the Falcons improved to 4-2 on the season, while the Panthers dropped to 1-5. The Falcons have not won three games in a row since the 2019 season.
Earlier in the day, the Buccaneers pulled away from the Saints to post a 51-27 victory and improve to 4-2. The Saints dropped to 2-4. The Falcons and Bucs are tied for first place in the NFC South, but the Falcons own a head-to-head win.
“We got the win,” said defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who finished with four tackles and two tackles for losses. “At the end of the day, we don’t control the schedule. We are going to go out there and play the schedule they give to us.”
The Falcons leaned on their rushing attack, going for a season-high 198 yards. Bijan Robinson rushed 15 times for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Allgeier rushed 18 times for 105 yards and a touchdown.
“We do so much in practice for the run game,” Robinson said. “Then we want to be the best that we can at that. A game like today really does boost our confidence.”
Cousins completed 19 of 30 passes for 225 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 97.2. Wide receiver Drake London caught six passes for 74 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Kyle Pitts has three catches for 70 yards, including a 52-yard gain that jump-started the offense.
The Falcons leaned on their rushing attack after a slow start by Cousins to help them build a 22-17 halftime lead over the Panthers.
The Falcons had a chance to take firm control of the game, but gave up a late touchdown drive in the second quarter. The Falcons went up 22-10 when Cousins tossed 3-yard touchdown pass to Drake London with 1:42 left in the second quarter.
Dalton, who has been in the league since 2011 and turns 37 on Oct. 29, promptly took the Panthers on a touchdown drive. He connected with tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders for a 21-yard gain to get the drive started.
Dalton slipped the grasp of outside linebacker James Smith-Williams and scooted around the left side of the defense for an 18-yard gain. (His longest run since 2018). Two plays later, Dalton tossed a 7-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette with :07 left on the clock.
The game opened with an exchange of punts.
Carolina, on its second possession, put together a 12-play, 67-yard drive with Dalton tossing a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Diontae Johnson with Terrell in coverage. Dalton was 6 of 8 passing in the drive.
The Falcons responded with a 12-play touchdown drive of their own that was capped by a 5-yard run by Robinson to make it 7-7.
After a punt by the Panthers and a controversial fumble by wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, the Panthers took a 10-7 lead on Eddy Pineiro’s 24-yard field goal. McCloud was originally ruled to have made a catch and had enough yards for a first down.
The Panthers challenged and the play was overturned with a “clear recovery” by Panthers linebacker Trevin Wallace (Wayne County High).
Cousins found tight end Kyle Pitts up the right side for a 52-yard gain that set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Robinson. The Panthers were called for a low block and that moved the conversion try to the 1-yard line. Allgeier scored on a two-point conversion run to make it 15-10.
The Falcons received a stop and Zach Harrison tipped a punt by Carolina’s Johnny Hekker. The punt went 15 yards, Clark Phillips III returned it 15 yards and after 10-yard holding penalty was enforced, the Falcons had the ball first down-and-10 at Carolina’s 27.
“It hit me in the second and third metatarsal on my right hand,” Harrison said. “Whatever I can do to help this team win. I love this team. I’m just happy to help them win.”
Five plays later, Cousins toss the TD pass to London.
The Falcons’ drive to open the third quarter stalled and Younghoe Koo came on to make a 21-yard field goal to make it 25-17. The Panthers answered with a 40-yard field goal from Pineiro.
The Falcons stalled again with the help of a holding penalty called on right guard Chris Lindstrom. Koo made a 31-yard field goal to make it 28-20 with :07 left in the third quarter.
Koo also added a 35-yard field goal with 2:11 to play
The Falcons are set to host a well-rested Seattle team at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Seahawks lost 36-24 to the 49ers on Thursday and will be coming off their mini-bye week.
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