Final2021 Week 8

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons, Week 8 2021

Carolina Panthers

AwayWon

19

Atlanta Falcons

Home

13

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Panthers363719
Falcons370313

CAR 19ATL 13 Final

  • Passing leader

    Matt Ryan

    ATL · QB

    8.1PPR pts

    20/27, 146 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT

  • Top fantasy scorer

    Cordarrelle Patterson

    ATL · RB

    18.2PPR pts

    9 ATT, 35 YDS, 5 REC, 37 REC YDS, 1 REC TD

  • Falcons leader

    Mike Davis

    ATL · RB

    11.6PPR pts

    9 ATT, 44 YDS, 5 REC, 22 REC YDS

  • Defensive playmaker

    Shaq Thompson

    CAR

    1 INT, 10 TKL

Panthers 19, Falcons 13: Carolina rallies from 1 down at halftime

Carolina erased a 10–9 halftime deficit, outscoring Atlanta 10–3 after the break to win 19–13. The Panthers finished with a 332–213 edge in total offense and averaged 4.6 yards per play.

The gap showed up everywhere. The Falcons went 3-for-10 on third down and committed two turnovers, while the Panthers kept the ball for 35:23.

The two teams meet again in Week 18 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.

Key advantages

  • +0.3 yards/play CAR 4.6 · ATL 4.3
  • +1 turnover margin CAR 1 · ATL 2 turnovers
  • +119 total yards CAR 332 · ATL 213

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

Got a Panther or Falcon on your fantasy team?

Check their next matchup with the Start/Sit Tool, compare their value in the Fantasy Trade Calculator, or connect your league for personalized advice in Redraft Command.

Connect your league

Works with Sleeper, ESPN and Fleaflicker. No password needed.

Why the Panthers Won

Carolina won the efficiency, turnover, third-down, and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Panthers vs Falcons
PanthersStatFalcons
4.6Yards per play4.3
1Turnovers2
332Total yards213
Other team stats
72Plays50
59%Third-down conversion30%
35:23Time of possession24:37

Scoring Summary

The Panthers scored one touchdown and four field goals; the Falcons scored one touchdown and two field goals.

Scoring plays, Panthers vs Falcons
TimeTeamPlayCARATL
1st quarter
13:30ATLYounghoe Koo 46-yard FG Takes lead03
6:13CARZane Gonzalez 29-yard FG Ties game33
2nd quarter
13:58ATLMatt Ryan → Cordarrelle Patterson, 15-yard TD Takes leadYounghoe Koo XP310
9:13CARZane Gonzalez 51-yard FG610
0:00CARZane Gonzalez 57-yard FG910
3rd quarter
3:33CARZane Gonzalez 23-yard FG Takes lead1210
4th quarter
6:30CARChuba Hubbard 6-yard TD run Extends leadZane Gonzalez XP1910
0:16ATLYounghoe Koo 53-yard FG1913

Fantasy Points: Panthers vs Falcons, Week 8 2021

Fantasy leaders

  1. Cordarrelle PattersonATLRB18.2 PTSRB10
  2. Chuba HubbardCARRB13.1 PTSRB23
  3. Sam DarnoldCARQB11.8 PTSQB23
  4. Mike DavisATLRB11.6 PTSRB26

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Matt RyanATLQB7.1QB3120/271461223067.8
Sam DarnoldCARQB11.8QB2313/2412900866069.6Start/Sit →
P.J. WalkerCARQB-0.1—0/10001-1039.6

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
Cordarrelle PattersonATLRB18.2RB10RB935055371
Chuba HubbardCARRB13.1RB23RB248212190Start/Sit →
Mike DavisATLRB11.6RB26RB944065220
Tajae SharpeATLWR10.8WR36WR———65580
DJ MooreCARWR9.9WR40WR———84590Start/Sit →
Ameer AbdullahCARRB9.6RB31RB831053350Start/Sit →
Tommy TrembleCARTE4.8TE28TE———43180Start/Sit →
Kyle PittsATLTE3.3TE38TE———62130
Royce FreemanCARRB2.5RB65RB62501000
Hayden HurstATLTE2.4TE42TE———3240
Olamide ZaccheausATLWR2.2WR93WR———11120Start/Sit →
Ian ThomasCARTE2.0TE44TE———11100Start/Sit →
Shi SmithCARWR0.8WR106WR———11-20
Robbie ChosenCARWR0.0—WR———1000
Keith KirkwoodCARWR0.0—WR———1000

Fantasy Usage

Carolina Panthers

Snap Share

  1. DJ MooreWR61 snaps82%
  2. Robbie ChosenWR55 snaps74%
  3. Ian ThomasTE46 snaps62%
  4. Chuba HubbardRB41 snaps55%
  5. Keith KirkwoodWR35 snaps47%

Target Share24 targets

  1. DJ Moore33%, 8 targets
  2. Ameer Abdullah21%, 5 targets
  3. Tommy Tremble17%, 4 targets
  4. Chuba Hubbard8%, 2 targets
  5. Robbie Chosen4%, 1 targets
  6. Other17%, 4 targets

Carry Share47 carries

  1. Chuba Hubbard51%, 24 carries
  2. Ameer Abdullah17%, 8 carries
  3. Sam Darnold17%, 8 carries
  4. Royce Freeman13%, 6 carries
  5. P.J. Walker2%, 1 carries

Atlanta Falcons

Snap Share

  1. Kyle PittsTE44 snaps83%
  2. Tajae SharpeWR36 snaps68%
  3. Russell GageWR36 snaps68%
  4. Mike DavisRB34 snaps64%
  5. Hayden HurstTE33 snaps62%

Target Share27 targets

  1. Mike Davis22%, 6 targets
  2. Tajae Sharpe22%, 6 targets
  3. Kyle Pitts22%, 6 targets
  4. Cordarrelle Patterson19%, 5 targets
  5. Hayden Hurst11%, 3 targets
  6. Other4%, 1 targets

Carry Share20 carries

  1. Cordarrelle Patterson45%, 9 carries
  2. Mike Davis45%, 9 carries
  3. Matt Ryan10%, 2 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
Kyle PittsATLTE4483%622%0
DJ MooreCARWR6182%833%0
Robbie ChosenCARWR5574%14%0
Tajae SharpeATLWR3668%622%0
Russell GageATLWR3668%00%0
Mike DavisATLRB3464%622%9
Hayden HurstATLTE3362%311%0
Ian ThomasCARTE4662%14%0
Cordarrelle PattersonATLRB3260%519%9
Chuba HubbardCARRB4155%28%24
Keith KirkwoodCARWR3547%14%0
Tommy TrembleCARTE3446%417%0
Olamide ZaccheausATLWR2140%14%0
Lee SmithATLTE1834%00%0
Shi SmithCARWR2432%14%0
Ameer AbdullahCARRB2230%521%8
Colin ThompsonCARTE2230%00%0
Royce FreemanCARRB1115%14%6
Feleipe FranksATLTE59%00%0
Alex EricksonCARWR34%00%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

  • Biggest overperformer+4.0Cordarrelle Patterson18.2 PTS vs 14.2 xFP
  • Biggest underperformer−6.8Kyle Pitts Sr.3.3 PTS vs 10.1 xFP
  • Highest expected volume18.8 xFPChuba Hubbard14.1 PTS scored
Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
Chuba HubbardCAR · RB14.118.8−4.755%51% car—02451%28%
Mike DavisATL · RB11.615.9−4.364%45% car—0945%622%
Sam DarnoldCAR · QB11.815.7−3.986%24 att—24817%00%
Cordarrelle PattersonATL · RB18.214.2+4.060%45% car—0945%519%
Ameer AbdullahCAR · RB9.613.6−4.030%21% tgt—0817%521%
DJ MooreCAR · WR9.913.5−3.682%33% tgt—000%833%
Matt RyanATL · QB8.113.2−5.1100%27 att—27210%00%
Kyle Pitts Sr.ATL · TE3.310.1−6.883%22% tgt—000%622%
Tajae SharpeATL · WR10.810.1+0.768%22% tgt—000%622%
Tommy TrembleCAR · TE4.86.7−1.946%17% tgt—000%417%
Royce FreemanCAR · RB2.55.5−3.015%13% car—0613%14%
Hayden HurstATL · TE2.45.1−2.762%11% tgt—000%311%
Ian ThomasCAR · TE2.01.7+0.362%4% tgt—000%14%
Keith KirkwoodCAR · WR0.01.7−1.747%4% tgt—000%14%
Olamide ZaccheausATL · WR2.21.7+0.540%4% tgt—000%14%
Robbie ChosenCAR · WR0.01.7−1.774%4% tgt—000%14%
Shi SmithCAR · WR0.81.7−0.932%4% tgt—000%14%
PJ WalkerCAR · —-0.11.1−1.2—2% car—112%00%

Team totals: Panthers 24 targets and 47 carries; Falcons 27 targets and 20 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Sam Darnold

CAR · QB · 11.8 pts on 15.7 expected

13 of 24 passing for 129 yards; 8 carries for 66 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.7 expected.

Start/Sit: Sam Darnold →

Matt Ryan Unlucky

ATL · QB · 8.1 pts on 13.2 expected

20 of 27 passing for 146 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions; 2 carries for 3 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 13.2 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Chuba Hubbard

CAR · RB · 14.1 pts on 18.8 expected

2 targets (8% of the team's), 1 catch for 9 yards; 24 carries (51% of the team's) for 82 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 18.8 expected.

Start/Sit: Chuba Hubbard →

Ameer Abdullah

CAR · RB · 9.6 pts on 13.6 expected

5 targets (21% of the team's), 3 catches for 35 yards; 8 carries (17% of the team's) for 31 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 13.6 expected.

Start/Sit: Ameer Abdullah →

Mike Davis

ATL · RB · 11.6 pts on 15.9 expected

6 targets (22% of the team's), 5 catches for 22 yards; 9 carries (45% of the team's) for 44 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.9 expected.

Cordarrelle Patterson

ATL · RB · 18.2 pts on 14.2 expected

5 targets (19% of the team's), 5 catches for 37 yards and 1 touchdown; 9 carries (45% of the team's) for 35 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 14.2 expected.

Kyle Pitts Sr. Unlucky

ATL · TE · 3.3 pts on 10.1 expected

6 targets (22% of the team's), 2 catches for 13 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 10.1 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Tajae Sharpe

ATL · WR · 10.8 pts on 10.1 expected

6 targets (22% of the team's), 5 catches for 58 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 10.1 expected.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Carolina Panthers

  • Stock up: Ameer Abdullah played 30% of the snaps, up from a 13% season average.

Atlanta Falcons

  • Stock up: Cordarrelle Patterson played 60% of the snaps, up from a 45% season average.
  • Stock up: Tajae Sharpe played 68% of the snaps, up from a 31% season average.
  • Stock down: Olamide Zaccheaus played 40% of the snaps, down from a 56% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Panthers defense and Falcons defense
Points allowed toPanthers DFalcons D
QBs15.318.8
RBs19.424.6
WRs31.936.6
TEs12.312.4

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Atlanta opened at 57% win probability and fell below 2% in the fourth quarter.

Falcons win probability

Falcons win probability by game minuteFalcons started at 57%, stood at 59% at halftime and finished at 0%, across 8 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. +9Koo 46-yd FG57% → 66%Q1 13:30
  2. +21Ryan → Patterson, 15-yd TD56% → 78%Q2 13:58
  3. −12Gonzalez 57-yd FG71% → 59%Q2 0:00
  4. −16Gonzalez 23-yd FG59% → 44%Q3 3:33
  5. −32Hubbard 6-yd TD run35% → 2%Q4 6:30

Swing in Falcons win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Panthers vs Falcons
Carolina PanthersMeasureAtlanta Falcons
72Plays50
35%Pass rate60%
5.2Yds / dropback4.4
4.3Yds / carry4.1
10/17Third downs3/10

Efficiency edge Carolina ran 22 more plays and gained 0.8 more yards per dropback.

  • Top targets
  • CAR Moore 33% · Abdullah 21% · Tremble 17%
  • ATL Pitts 22% · Davis 22% · Sharpe 22%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Panthers vs Falcons
ResultCARATL
Touchdowns11
Field goals42
Punts44
Turnovers12
Missed field goals01

CAR turnover edge: +1

  • The Falcons opened the scoring on their first possession, a 4-play, -2-yard drive that ended in a field goal.
  • The Panthers drained the clock with two second-half drives of seven to nine minutes.
All 21 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
CARQ1 15:00100:04Fumble
ATLQ1 14:564-21:26Field goal
CARQ1 13:3015647:17Field goal
ATLQ1 6:13381:25Punt
CARQ1 4:48331:27Punt
ATLQ1 3:218614:23Touchdown
CARQ2 13:588424:45Field goal
ATLQ2 9:1310515:41Interception
CARQ2 3:326261:48Punt
ATLQ2 1:44391:20Punt
CARQ2 0:245340:24Field goal
ATLQ3 15:004202:45Punt
CARQ3 12:1516788:42Field goal
ATLQ3 3:3310484:23Missed FG
CARQ4 14:1015657:40Touchdown
ATLQ4 6:303-81:25Punt
CARQ4 5:05351:58Punt
ATLQ4 3:076451:15Interception
CARQ4 1:52311:02Punt
ATLQ4 0:502250:34Field goal
CARQ4 0:161-10:16End of game
About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Panthers vs Falcons Head-to-Head

The Panthers and Falcons first met in 1995 and have played 63 times since. They have been NFC South rivals since 1995.

All-time series
37–26Falcons lead, 63 meetings since 1995
Postseason
0No playoff meetings
Largest Panthers win
38–02015
Largest Falcons win
41–02002

Since 2021

7–4 Panthers lead

11 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. P = Panthers win, F = Falcons win, outlined = this game.

2026 Meetings

  • Week 18 Falcons at Panthers Upcoming

Recent Meetings

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Panthers vs Falcons
PanthersStatFalcons
5-12Record7-10
17.9Points per game18.4
298.9Yards per game303.8
4.6Yards per play5.1
23.8Points allowed per game27.0
305.9Yards allowed per game364.4

Panthers vs Falcons Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread
ATL −2.5Falcons failed to cover by 8.5
Total
46.5Under: 32 points scored (by 14.5)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
TeamImpliedActualDifference
Falcons24.513−11.5
Panthers22.019−3.0

Both offenses finished under the market's expectation, which matches the low fantasy output in the Fantasy tab.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Carolina Panthers

Against the spread
4–4
Over/under
2–6
ATS as favorite
2–2
ATS as underdog
2–2
ATS on the road
2–2

Atlanta Falcons

Against the spread
3–4
Over/under
4–3
ATS as favorite
2–2
ATS as underdog
1–2
ATS at home
1–3

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Panthers vs Falcons Fantasy Outlook for 2026

One meeting is left on the 2026 schedule: Week 18 in Carolina. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Panthers vs Falcons Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Panthers vs Falcons Week 8 game?

The Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 19–13 in Week 8 of the 2021 season. The game was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA, on October 31, 2021. See the Panthers' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Panthers vs Falcons?

The final score was Panthers 19, Falcons 13. The Falcons led 10–9 at halftime, and the second half went Panthers 10, Falcons 3.

What happened in the Panthers vs Falcons game?

Carolina erased a 10–9 halftime deficit, outscoring Atlanta 10–3 after the break to win 19–13. The Panthers finished with a 332–213 edge in total offense and averaged 4.6 yards per play. Cordarrelle Patterson led all players with 5 catches for 37 yards and a touchdown, plus 9 carries for 35 rushing yards. The Falcons committed 2 turnovers, the Panthers 1.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Panthers vs Falcons?

Cordarrelle Patterson led the game with 18.2 PPR fantasy points, the RB10 of Week 8, on 5 catches for 37 yards and a touchdown, plus 9 carries for 35 rushing yards. Chuba Hubbard was next with 13.1 (RB23).

Who led Panthers vs Falcons in passing, rushing and receiving?

Matt Ryan (ATL) led all passers with 20 of 27 for 146 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. Chuba Hubbard (CAR) led in rushing with 24 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown. DJ Moore (CAR) led in receiving with 4 catches for 59 yards.

How many fantasy points did Cordarrelle Patterson score against the Panthers?

Cordarrelle Patterson scored 18.2 points in PPR leagues, 15.7 in half-PPR and 13.2 in standard scoring against the Panthers in Week 8 of the 2021 season, on 5 catches for 37 yards and a touchdown, plus 9 carries for 35 rushing yards. He handled 45% of his team's carries.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Panthers vs Falcons?

Cordarrelle Patterson outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 18.2 PPR points on 14.2 xFP (+4.0). Kyle Pitts Sr. fell furthest short, with 3.3 points on 10.1 xFP (−6.8). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Panthers vs Falcons?

Chuba Hubbard had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 18.8 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 14.1. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

How did the Panthers come back to beat the Falcons?

The Panthers' chances of winning fell as low as 21% in the first half. Chuba Hubbard's 6-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter was the biggest swing of the game. They finished the comeback with a 19–13 win.

Which team won the turnover battle in Panthers vs Falcons?

The Panthers won the turnover battle 2–1: the Falcons gave the ball away 2 times and the Panthers 1 time. The Panthers won the game.

What is the all-time Panthers vs Falcons record?

The Falcons lead the all-time series 37–26 across 63 meetings since 1995.

When did the Panthers and Falcons last play before this game?

Before Week 8 of 2021, they last met in the 2020 season on October 29, 2020, when the Falcons beat the Panthers 25–17.

What was the closing spread for Panthers vs Falcons?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Falcons −2.5, making the Atlanta Falcons 2.5-point favorites, with a closing total of 46.5. That implied about 24.5 points for the Falcons and 22.0 for the Panthers.

Did Panthers vs Falcons go over or under the total?

The game went under. The consensus closing total was 46.5, and the teams combined for 32 points, 14.5 under the number.

Who covered the spread in Panthers vs Falcons?

The Panthers covered as 2.5-point underdogs against the closing line of Falcons −2.5. The final margin was 6 points.