ATLANTA _ Other than Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan and wideout Julio Jones, the name being mentioned most in the Carolina Panthers' locker room Sunday belonged to a cornerback who's no longer around.
Of course, you could make a strong case that the current corners were no-shows as well.
We know what the Panthers saved when general manager Dave Gettleman pulled the $13.95 million franchise tag from Josh Norman in April after negotiations on a long-term deal reached an impasse.
Now we know what it cost them.
Ryan and Jones turned the soon-to-be-demolished Georgia Dome into their personal playground, shredding a Panthers defense that did little to stop them in the Falcons' 48-33 victory.
Ryan threw for 503 yards and Jones racked up 12 catches for 300 yards _ the highest single-game passing and receiving yardage totals allowed in the Panthers' 22-year history.
Jones' yardage was the fourth-highest receiving total of the Super Bowl era.
The Falcons' 571 total yards were the second-most given up in team history, while the 48 points tied for the third-most surrendered.
The meltdown by the back end of the defense prompted a number of postgame questions along the same vain: Had the Panthers thought about how big a difference Norman would have made lined up on Jones?
"We don't. Point-blank period, we don't," cornerback Bene Benwikere said.
"Josh has been doing his thing on Julio since they've been starting that matchup. It's on us. Josh is not here. We cannot dwell on Josh. We're not here to answer that question."
In fairness, Norman didn't exactly shut down Jones last December when the Falcons ruined the Panthers' run at a perfect season. Jones caught nine passes for 178 yards and a touchdown in Atlanta's 20-13 victory.
That led Benwikere to suggest Norman lost his swagger a week after he was flagged and penalized for his personal grudge match with the Giants' Odell Beckham Jr.
Any swagger Norman's young replacements might have had was gone by the end of the first quarter _ or in James Bradberry's case, by the end of the first series.
Bradberry, the second-round pick from Samford, was given of task of shadowing Jones. He ended up trailing him as Ryan threw to Jones on the Falcons' first three plays, covering 51 yards and setting the tone for what would be long day for anyone who tried to cover No. 11.
Bradberry injured his toe during the first series when he stubbed it on the back of Jones' foot. Bradberry sat out most of the next two quarters while Benwikere and Worley, the third-round pick from West Virginia, took their turns on Jones.
