By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young ran for a touchdown, Chau Smith-Wade returned an interception 11 yards for a score and rookie Ryan Fitzgerald made three field goals and the Carolina Panthers routed the Atlanta Falcons 30-0 on Sunday for their first win of the season.
Young was 16 of 24 for 121 yards, but played mistake free after turning the ball over five times in the previous two games.
Smith-Wade’s third-quarter pick-6 highlighted a dominant performance for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s unit as the Panthers (1-2) intercepted Michael Penix Jr. twice, forced three turnovers and limited the Falcons to 5 of 16 conversions on third and fourth downs for their first shutout since Nov. 22, 2020.
“When you score in every phase, you give yourself a great chance to win,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said.
The Panthers’ shutout came despite playing without injured defensive end Turk Wharton and outside linebacker Pat Jones, two of the team’s biggest free agency pickups in the offseason.
“This is what we’ve been waiting for coming out of camp,” Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown said. “I feel like this is how we executed during (training) camp, the physicality we had during camp. So to be able to come out here and put it on display and get the result we did today, we’re happy about it.”
Outside of Bijan Robinson, who combined for 111 yards from scrimmage — 72 on the ground and 39 through the air — the Falcons (1-2) got little production from their offense.
Penix looked tentative and was ineffective from the start, finishing 18 of 36 for 172 yards before getting benched in the fourth quarter for Kirk Cousins with the Falcons trailing 27-0.
After the game, coach Raheem Morris squashed any talk of making a change at quarterback saying Penix will remain the starter.
“Game was out of hand. Move on and take some guys out of harm’s way,” Morris said.
It was a promising performance for Carolina, which started the past three seasons 0-2 under Young.
Unlike the previous two games, the Panthers avoided falling into an early deficit.
Playing at home for the first time this season, the Panthers scored on their first possession on a 4-yard scamper from Young around left end. It was Young’s third touchdown on the ground against the Falcons in the past two meetings.
Fitzgerald made a 57-yard field goal to make it 10-0 at the half.
“We put an emphasis on having the urgency to start fast,” Young said. “The defense getting a stop right off the bat and the offense going down and getting a score, I think that was big.”
The Falcons had their chances, but Carolina’s defense thwarted every opportunity, even when returner Trevor Etienne fumbled a punt at the Carolina 33. Parker Romo, who replaced Younghoe Koo last week and went 5-for-5 on field goals in his debut, missed from 49 and 55 yards in the first quarter.
“We had two misses, so obviously you have to evaluate those things when we move on and figure out what we’ve got going on,” Morris said. “We can’t have those moments.”
With the Falcons struggling to get much going, Penix looked to throw a pass down to Robinson in the third quarter, but Smith-Wade stepped in front of Robinson and hauled in the interception and raced to the end zone. Mike Jackson could have had another pick-6 later in the quarter but was tripped up by Penix after a 54-yard return.
The Panthers put the game away a few plays later on a 1-yard touchdown run by Rico Dowdle.
“It was an electric,” Young said of the team’s home opener. “There was great energy, and to start like that at home means a lot.”
Injuries
Falcons: Reported no injuries.
Panthers: TE Ja’Tavion Sanders injured his ankle in the fourth quarter and making a reception near the right sideline. He did not return.
Up next
Falcons: Host Commanders on Sunday
Panthers: At Patriots on Sunday.