The Falcons ran effectively early to earn a lead against Carolina, while their defense bent but did not break to hold the Panthers to a pair of field goals. Since then, basically everything has gone wrong.
Takk McKinley and Kendall Sheffield are hurt. Isaiah Oliver was destroyed by D.J. Moore for a touchdown. Deion Jones wasn’t in the same neighborhood as Mike Davis on another touchdown. The offense has mostly passed and has gone absolutely nowhere, despite all the firepower they supposedly have on that side of the ball, and they find themselves down by two scores at halftime.