Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons live updates: Turnovers sink Panthers in opener

The first game of the Bryce Young era of Carolina Panthers football had some promising moments, but it also had three crucial turnovers.

And those two interceptions and one lost fumble played a huge role in the Falcons’ 24-10 win at home in Georgia. Atlanta defensive back Jessie Bates had a hand in all three turnovers — and the Falcons scored off of each one.

Bates had both interceptions and forced a Miles Sanders fumble.

Atlanta scored its first touchdown off Bryce Young’s first career interception and led 7-0. Young, who looked poised most all game, led the Panthers back for a 10-7 lead in the third quarter.

But with the ball, and the lead, Young threw his second pick to Bates, and Atlanta later tied the score at 10 with a field goal.

The game changed after that.

Sanders’ fumble led to a touchdown drive for the Falcons, and the Panthers defense, which had been pressuring Falcons QB Desmond Ridder and slowing the running game, began to give up yardage.

Atlanta scored another fourth quarter touchdown and put the game away.

Some notes:

▪ Atlanta won its season opener for the first time in six years.

▪ The Panthers outgained Atlanta 281-221 and the Panthers limited the Falcons to two third down conversions on 10 tries. Carolina had 20 first downs to Atlanta’s 13 and the Panthers had four sacks.

▪ Young finished 20-for-38 for 146 yards, the two interceptions and his first career touchdown, to tight end Hayden Hurst. Miles Sanders ran 18 times for 72yards and caught four passes for 26 yards. Hurst led the Panthers with five catches for 41 yards.

Scroll down for game highlights, photo gallery.

More coverage

What Panthers coach Frank Reich said about Sunday’s loss

Kaye: Brutal turnovers overshadow Burns’ case for new deal in loss

Fowler: How rookie QB Bryce Young did in his first game

Zietlow: Panthers star Jaycee Horn goes down with hamstring injury

NFL live scoreboard

Big pass play leads to two-score Falcons lead

Falcons QB Desmond Ridder hit Kyle Pitts, working on CJ Henderson, in the fourth quarter for a big play.

Henderson had replaced Panthers star Jaycee Horn, who left with a hamstring injury. The 35-yard pass gave Atlanta the ball inside the Carolina 10.

That big play was shortly followed by another: a short run by Tyler Allgeier for a score, his second of the game.

Atlanta led 24-10 with 4:48 to play.

Allgeier’s scoring run gives Falcons fourth quarter lead

Following the Panthers third turnover, Atlanta drove down the field, going 61 yards. Tyler Allgeier finished the drive with a scoring run around the left side.

Atlanta leads 17-10 with 14:12 to play.

Watch: Christian McCaffrey’s big play

Former Carolina Panthers star Christian McCaffrey had a spectacular play for the 49ers against the Steelers.

Miles Sanders’ fumble spoils a promising drive

With the Panthers driving in the third quarter and the game tied at 10, Carolina running back Miles Sanders lost the ball at the end of a long run on first and 15.

Officials ruled he was down before the ball came free. Atlanta challenged the ruling and won the challenge. Atlanta took the Panthers third turnover and got the ball at its 39.

Jessie Bates, who had two earlier interceptions for the Falcons, was credited with forcing the fumble.

The Falcons started a strong drive that was inside the Panthers 5 as the third quarter ended.

Young throws second INT, Atlanta ties the game

After leading the Panthers on a scoring drive to start the third quarter, Panthers QB Bryce Young threw his second interception of the game. Atlanta’s Jessie Bates got his second interception.

A penalty of the same play gave Atlanta the ball, down 10-7, inside the Carolina 40.

On third and 6, Atlana tried to run the ball and got nowhere. That led to a 49-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo that tied the game at 10.

Panthers score on first drive in third quarter

After a good looking drive to start the third quarter, the Panthers stalled and Eddy Piñeiro made a 43-yard field goal to give Carolina a 10-7 lead.

Teams head to locker room tied at halftime

The Panthers and Falcons are tied at 7 at halftime.

Carolina has outgained Atlanta 138-74. The Falcons have zero passing yards. Carolina also has nine first downs to five.

The difference? The Panthers were stuffed on a fourth and 1 in the red zone in the first quarter and later gave the Falcons the ball on an interception in the red zone in the second. That pick led to Atlanta’s point.

Panthers QB Bryce Young was 10-of-13 for 86 yards and a touchdown. RB Miles Sanders ran eight times for 29 yards. Linebacker Brian Burns had five tackles and 1.5 sacks for the Panthers, who had three sacks in the first half.

DB Jaycee Horn goes down with an injury

Caroina Panthers DB Jaycee Horn left the game with less than three minutes left in the first half, grabbing the back of his leg. He was replaced by CJ Henderson.

Horn appeared to sustain a non-contact injury. Horn will not return with a hamstring injury, a team spokesperson told The Observer’s Alex Zietlow.

A Panthers spokesperson confirmed to Zietlow that Horn will not return.

Bryce Young throws first NFL touchdown pass

After directing a pretty confident looking drive, down 7-0, Bryce Young hit tight end Hayden Hurst with his first NFL touchdown pass with about five minutes left in the first half.

So far, Young is 10-for-13 for 86 yards and that score.

Panthers 7, Falcons 7

Bryce Young interception leads to points

On the Panthers’ second possession of the game, rookie QB Bryce Young was intercepted by Atlanta’s Jessie Bates on a pass attempt over the middle on second and long.

Atlanta got the ball at the Panthers 17. A few plays later, Bijan Robinson scored his first NFL touchdown on a quick screen.

Atlanta leads 7-0 early second quarter.

Panthers’ first drive stuffed in the red zone

Brian Burns, still without a new contract, got a sack on Atlanta’s first drive to force a punt. Carolina then went on a really good looking drive, where rookie QB Bryce Young completed all three of his passes. But on two plays inside the Atlanta 20, Panthers running backs Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard couldn’t gain two yards.

Atlanta regained possession and Carolina lost a chance to at least take a 3-0 lead.

Bryce Young looking to overcome long odds

Alex Zietlow: The Panthers’ overall No. 1 pick will have a bunch of history he’ll be beating against in his NFL debut today. What history, exactly? Per ESPN Stats & Info, QBs drafted No. 1 overall are 0-13-1 in their starting debuts over the last 20 years. He and Josh McCown, the first-year Panthers’ quarterbacks coach, don’t seem all that fazed, though.

Adam Thielen to play

Mike Kaye: The Panthers will have wideout Adam Thielen (ankle) in the lineup on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The veteran receiver was a limited participant in practice on Friday after missing Thursday’s workout with an ankle injury. Thielen was given a “questionable” tag entering the weekend. With Thielen ready to go for the opener, the Panthers will have a wideout group that includes Thielen, Terrace Marshall (who will start over the inactive D.J. Chark), second-round pick Jonathan Mingo, Laviska Shenault and Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

More here

Early arrival

Observer reporter Alex Zietlow is covering the game with Mike Kaye and Scott Fowler in Atlanta on Sunday. Zietlow got into the stadium shortly before 11 a.m.

Kaye’s stats

On The Observer’s Panthers podcast, Processing Blue, we feature a segment where lead Panthers writer Mike Kaye gives us his “Kayes Takes.” Here’s a few “Kaye’s Stats” from his Twitter/X account:

▪ The Colts were 0-4-1 with Frank Reich in Week 1 games. Reich has the opportunity to take advantage of a clean slate today with his first Week 1 win as a head coach.The #Panthers will finally reveal what their offense looks like, and I think there will be some surprises today.

▪ Panthers pass rusher Justin Houston needs two sacks to climb into the Top 25 all-time list in the NFL.

▪ And here’s another stat from ESPN’s Ed Werder: Among Bryce Young’s opening-day challenges: Quarterbacks drafted 1st overall are 0-13-1 in their first career start over the last 20 years. The last to win was David Carr in 2002, when the Texans beat the Cowboys in the first game in franchise history.

Brian Burns in the building

Brian Burns doesn’t have a new contract, but he’s heading to the locker room in Atlanta. Video: Augusta Stone. Alex Zietlow reports Burns is expected to play today.

Pregame reading

To get you ready for today’s game, make sure you read all of The Observer’s pregame stories. We’ll make it easy for you. Just click away

Fowler: Panthers head coach Frank Reich hopes to make mark in Atlanta. Again

Kaye: How Bryce Young has grown into a leader anyone can follow

Kaye: Examining the Panthers 2023 schedule: Cowboys, Packers headline home games

Staff: Predicting Carolina Panthers season, won-loss record

PHOTOS: Panthers at Falcons