Listen: Falcons win big NFC South opener over Panthers

Falcons safety Jessie Bates III  signals the number two after he intercepted the ball twice against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023.
Miguel Martinz/miguel.martinezjimenez@ajc.com

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Falcons safety Jessie Bates III signals the number two after he intercepted the ball twice against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023. Miguel Martinz/miguel.martinezjimenez@ajc.com

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.