The Atlanta Falcons looked like a perennial contender in Week 2 and like a bottom-five team in football in Week 3. With a prime opportunity to sustain momentum before the schedule grew tougher, the Falcons squandered their newfound momentum and fell to 1-2 in a 30-0 shellacking against the Carolina Panthers.
Atlanta never possessed the football inside the Carolina 30-yard line and Michael Penix Jr had by far the worst start of his NFL career. The Falcons' own missed opportunities made it that Carolina's offense didn't have to do much—Bryce Young threw for just 121 yards and scored a first-quarter rushing touchdown.