The Falcons won the first season-opener at home since 2015 with a 24-10 win over Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The Falcons had a big game from Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III, who had two interceptions, a forced fumbled and 10 tackles to pace the defense. His turnovers directly led to 17-0 and helped propel the Falcons to a 1-0 mark. The franchise had not been .500 mark since the end of the 2017 season.

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Falcons linebackers James Pearce Jr. (from left) and Jalon Walker, shown here speaking with defensive line coach Nate Ollie, will play a key role when the Falcons face the New York Jets at 1 p.m. Sunday. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

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Carleigh Knight (left) and her sister, Natalie Rogovin, look at Christmas ornaments while shopping at Kudzu Antiques + Modern in Decatur on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: Natrice Miller