A lot can change in one week in the NFL, and the Atlanta Falcons are proof of that. Last weekend, the Falcons were blanked 30-0 at the hands of the Carolina Panthers and Michael Penix Jr. threw two interceptions, while this weekend, the Falcons returned to form in an impressive 34-27 victory over the Washington Commanders.
While the Dirty Birds' offense shined in one of their best performances under Zac Robinson, their NFC South rivals were stifled at the hands of the New England Patriots. The Panthers fell 42-13, and dropped to 1-3 on the season—being handed an embarrassing loss eerily similar to the one they gave Atlanta last weekend.
After what felt like a season-defining loss a season ago, Raheem Morris and company somehow managed to flip the script in Week 4. However, that contrast has left fans scratching their heads. If the Falcons can torch a Washington team that just made the NFC championship, how in the world did they manage to get shut out by that Panthers team?
Panthers' Week 4 loss makes Falcons shutout look even more embarrassing
The parallels between the two games only twist the knife deeper. Just like how the Falcons out-gained Carolina despite failing to score, the Panthers out-gained the Pats in Week 4–and Bryce Young was benched in garbage time just like Penix was.
This isn't a Panthers team that is playing well at all, yet Atlanta sits at 0-2 in their last two meetings with them. The matchup felt winnable after what we saw in Week 2, and that missed opportunity looks even clearer now.
Just like Carolina, the Patriots did a lot of their work on the ground and on special teams as Marcus Jones piled up 167 punt return yards, including an 88-yard house call in the first quarter. Moreover, Carolina's 30 carries for 110 yards and two scores doesn't look very different from the 29 carries for 104 yards and three scores New England amassed.
However, unlike the Falcons, Carolina's redemption campaign will be daunting as they'll host Tua Tagovailoa and a Dolphins team fresh off their first victory of the season. Atlanta capitalized on Jayden Daniels' and Terry McLaurin's absences, but it was the offense who did most of the heavy lifting—and the Panthers don't have the supporting cast for that.
The NFL has a way of delivering whiplash moments, and this is one of them. Penix went from his lowest moment as a starter to perhaps his highest, and the offense as a whole was humming against Washington. Yet somehow, this team looked lifeless against one of the league's worst teams at Bank of America Stadium and people were ready to question Penix's future.
Whether it was the coaching shakeup or Zac Robinson's move to the sidelines, I don't think fans are complaining. For now, Atlanta can enjoy the turnaround, but one truth remains: no matter how good the Commanders victory felt, the sting of being blanked by Carolina lingers—and Week 4 made that loss look even more mind-boggling.