The Panthers didn’t just embarrass the Falcons in their first meeting by scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter. The Panthers piled on with celebratory antics that went beyond quarterback Cam Newton’s usual “dab” dance after big plays.
The Falcons finally ended Carolina’s frolicking in the rematch on Sunday at the Georgia Dome. The Panthers scored a touchdown on their opening possession and Newton danced, but the Falcons held the Panthers to two field goals the rest of the way and harassed Newton into one of his worst performances of the season.
During the 38-0 victory over the Falcons two weeks ago, the Panthers posed for pictures on the sideline with two minutes left. This time they slunk off the field with a 20-13 defeat, their first of the season.
“They got off the field pretty fast today,” Falcons linebacker O’Brien Schofield said. “It wasn’t like it was in Carolina so I think we did our job.”
It appeared the Panthers might have more fun at the Falcons’ expense when they opened with an 11-play, 80 yard TD drive. Newton had two key plays on the drive and celebrated after both.
After a five-yard run for a a first down, Newton pointed to Carolina fans in the stands and “dabbed” by lifting his right forearm as he tilted his head. Newton finished the drive with an eight-yard TD run three plays later, and then rocked the football as if it were a baby.
“It’s not personal to me,” Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann said. “But you are not out there by yourself, man, you’ve got 52 other dudes out there fighting with you. It’s not personal to me I just think it’s a little goofy.”
After that opening drive, the Panthers gained just 188 total yards over their next seven drives. Newton finished 17-for-30 passing for 142 yards and ran 46 yards on seven carries. His passer rating of 69.0 was his worse since he had a 59.2 rating in Week six against the Eagles.
Newton had one other moment of exaltation when he dragged multiple defenders on an eight-yard run to convert a first down in the second quarter. Newton pumped his fist at fans after that play but, two plays later, Biermann and Jonathan Babineaux sacked him for a 16-yard loss.
There would be no more dancing for Newton and the Panthers, unlike the party they threw during the first game against the Falcons.
“We saw what happened, the whole team thing picture thing on the sideline,” Schofield said. “I just think there’s a better way to win. There’s a better way to show class when you get a victory. Today I was out there ‘dabbing’ when we won because I wanted to have fun with it.”
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