CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ With an opportunity to solidify their playoff position and set themselves up to clinch the NFC South, the Falcons defeated the Carolina Panthers 33-16 before 73,549 fans on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan led the way with some pinpoint passing and running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman gobbled up chunks of yards on the ground and through the air.
When the Panthers tried to crawl back into the game, Coleman broke loose on a 55-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Coleman and Freeman finished with more than 200 total yards for the fourth time this season as the Falcons improved to 10-5. Carolina, the three-time defending NFC South champions, dropped to 6-9 on the season.
A loss by Tampa Bay to New Orleans in a later game Sunday would give the Falcons the title. They would have a two-game lead over the Bucs with one game to play.
Ryan completed 27 of 33 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns.
Coleman, who had 90 yard rushing on nine carries and caught three passes for 45 yards, and Freeman, who had 53 yards rushing on 13 carries and caught eight passes for 35 yards, combined for 223 total yards.
Here are the five things we learned from the win over the Panthers.
1. Ryan was on fire. Ryan opened the game on fire.
On the opening drive, he completed five of five passes for 59 yards while driving the Falcons down for a touchdown to set the tone.
He tossed a 26-yard touchdown pass to tight end Joshua Perkins to complete the eight-play, 75-yard drive that took 4:03 off the clock.
Freeman and Coleman accounted for 34 of the 75 yards on the opening drive.
Ryan remained hot as he directed the Falcons to scores on their first three possession and out to 20-3 halftime lead.
His touchdown pass to Perkins was 33rd of the season, a new franchise single-season record. Ryan had tossed 32 touchdown passes in 2012.
By contrast, Carolina quarterback Cam Newton was just awful early. He started off the game completing just 2 of 11 passes for 28 yards. In addition to being intercepted by cornerback Brian Poole on the Panthers' opening possession, he was wild and high on several throws. He also tossed second interception late in the second quarter.
2. Tight ends step forward. The Falcons have been hit hard at the tight end position by rash of injuries. Jacob Tamme was lost for the season with shoulder injury and Austin Hooper missed this game with a knee injury.
Perkins, who made the team as an undrafted free agent from Washington, caught his first career touchdown pass on the opening drive. He ran a nice route and caught the ball between cornerback James Bradberry and linebacker Thomas Davis for the score.
D.J. Tialevea, who has been on the practice squad, was activated to the 53-man roster on Thursday. He caught a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Perkins left the game in the second quarter with a neck injury, but returned. The Falcons worked out former Alabama tight end Brian Vogler on Thursday. He's spent time with the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts.
Tight end Levine Toilolo also had a catch for 10 yards.
3. Bryant money in the bank. Falcons kicker Matt Bryant, who was voted to his first Pro Bowl on Tuesday, made field goal attempts from 51 and 48 yards, but had a 33-yard field goal blocked right before the half by Carolina's Vernon Butler.
Bryant added a 29-yard field in the third quarter and a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter.
4. Return of Julio. Falcons All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones made his return after missing the past two games with a sprained toe.
He caught a pass on the first play of the game, but only had two catches for 21 yards at halftime as Ryan moved the ball around to season-high 10 different receivers by the half.
On the Falcons' first possession of the third quarter, Jones caught passes for 22 yards and 17 yards to help on 10-play, 64-yard drive that ended with a 29-yard field goal by Bryant to make it 23-6 with 3:39 left in the third quarter.
Jones finished with four catches for 60 yards.
5. Secondary played well. Falcons cornerback Brian Poole and Jalen Collins both had interceptions in the first half.
Poole's came on Carolina's first possession and the Falcons turned the pick in to a 51-yard field goal.
With 1:40 left in the second yard, Collins came up with his first career interception and returned it 37 yards to Carolina's 21. The Falcons drove down for a 33-yard field goal attempt, but Bryant's kick was blocked with 13 seconds left.
Collins was beaten by Carolina wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin for a 26-yard touchdown pass on the last play of the third quarter to pull the Panthers within 10 at 23-13.
Falcons safety Keanu Neal, the team's leading tackler, left the game with an ankle injury, but returned to the action.
