The Atlanta Falcons‘ Week 3 loss to the Carolina Panthers was one that they would probably rather forget. After last weekend’s statement win over the Minnesota Vikings, the Falcons were shut out, 30-0, by the Panthers on Sunday to fall to 1-2 on the season.
The Falcons struggled in all three phases against the Panthers, and their Week 3 loss dropped them below Carolina and Tampa Bay in the NFC South standings.
Advertisement
This week’s studs and duds contain a higher number of duds than usual, which should be expected when you lose by 30 points to an 0-2 opponent.
Dud: Parker Romo
A few days removed from officially dismissing kicker Younghoe Koo, the Falcons kicking game looks more concerning than ever. Parker Romo, who started in place of Koo a week ago, didn’t convert on either of his two attempts this week. It’s going to be a long season if the team can’t get the kicker position figured out. Obviously, there were other factors in Sunday’s loss, but the two misses didn’t help.
Dud: Michael Penix Jr.
This was the first time that we have seen Penix look uncomfortable for an entire game. The second-year quarterback threw two interceptions, including one pick-six, before getting benched for Kirk Cousins. This isn’t to suggest that a quarterback competition is on the horizon, but Penix is certainly capable of playing better than we saw on Sunday. Head coach Raheem Morris said he put in Cousins because “the game was out of hand,” and that there is no QB controversy. Penix passed for 172 yards but hasn’t found the end zone since Week 1.
Advertisement
Dud: Darnell Mooney
Darnell Mooney has looked out of sync since his return from a shoulder injury. Sunday was not a good showing for the veteran receiver. However, in Mooney’s defense, it was a collective effort on offense and some of his targets weren’t on the money. Mooney caught four out of 11 targets in Week 3. Penix and Mooney just haven’t been on the same page this season.
Dud: Zac Robinson
We are at the start of the second year of Zac Robinson’s tenure as the Falcons offensive coordinator. Since his hiring, there has been plenty of frustration among the fan base regarding Robinson’s heavy use of the pistol formation. Aside from Bijan Robinson, the offense has not looked sharp over the first three weeks. The team has been unable to find balance on that side of the ball, and Robinson’s seat may be heating up as the offensive struggles continue.
Advertisement
Stud: Bijan Robinson
Like what’s been said before, the Falcons wouldn’t have anything if they didn’t have Bijan Robinson. In fact, Atlanta likely would be ranked among the worst teams in the league if not for Robinson’s contributions this season. The Falcons didn’t manage to score a single point despite another 111 scrimmage yards from their star running back. There’s no excuse for scoring zero points with the pieces Atlanta has on offense.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons lose to Panthers: Studs and Duds from Week 3