Atlanta Falcons: Studs and duds in Week 5 vs. Panthers

Stud: Todd Gurley

The first stud and perhaps the biggest bight spot for Atlanta in the game on Sunday afternoon was the play of Falcons running back Todd Gurley.

Gurley continued his solid season in his first year with the Falcons, leading the way for Atlanta on the ground against Carolina in Week 5.

The running back finished the game with 14 carries for a game-best mark of 121 yards and one touchdown on the ground. He also added four catches for 29 yards through the air out of the backfield.

When things aren’t working as they should in the passing game, Atlanta has been able to rely on Gurley to pick up the pace in the rushing attack. That was certainly the case on Sunday in Atlanta.

Dud: Defense

The biggest dud that appeared in the loss for the Falcons was the fact that the defense once again struggled to contain an opposing offense.

Atlanta’s defense hasn’t had a strong showing in the early stages of the 2020 campaign, and that was once again the case in Week 5.

In their fifth straight loss to start the year, the Falcons allowed the Panthers offense to go off for 313 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while adding 27 carries for 124 yards on the ground. Carolina’s balanced offensive gameplan was just too much for Atlanta to handle in order to grab the first win of the season.