Falcons-Panthers Game Notes

ATLANTA -- Official game notes from the Falcons 45-28 victory over the Carolina Panthers at the Georgia Dome.

• With a 45-28 victory over the Carolina Panthers, the Falcons improved their home record to 5-1 this season. Atlanta is also 7-0 this season when leading after the first quarter.
• On his third carry of the game, running back Michael Turner rushed for a six-yard gain and eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing plateau this season. He became the first Falcons running back to reach 1,000 yards in a campaign since 2006 (Warrick Dunn, 1,140) and the 20th running back in franchise history to reach 1,000 yards in a season.
• Turner’s career day continued after he tied a team record with four rushing touchdowns (T.J. Duckett on December 12, 2004). It was also the second career three-score game and the fourth multiple-touchdown game of his career. Turner first found the end zone on a one-yard rush in the second quarter, scored for the second occasion on a four-yard run in the fourth quarter, logged his third TD on a one-yard run with 7:13 remaining and tallied his last on a 16-yard scamper in the fourth quarter to seal a Falcons 45-28 victory. With four scores, Turner became the third player in Falcons history to post 13 or more rushing touchdowns in a season.

Falcons Rushing Touchdowns in a Season

• Turner finished the game with 24 carries for 117 yards and four touchdowns, which marked his eighth career 100-yard game. He currently has rushed for 1,088 yards this season and is on a pace for 1,583 yards, which would rank third in a season in Falcons annals.
• Following the first half of play, Turner tallied 12 carries for 56 yards. This season, when the fifth-year running back rushes for 50 yards or more in the first half, the Falcons are 5-0.
• Wide receiver/punt returner Harry Douglas scored his first two career touchdowns in a Week 12 meeting against Carolina. He first found the end zone on a seven-yard end around in the first quarter to give the Falcons a 10-0 lead. Douglas then became the 10th player in Falcons history to return a punt for a touchdown and the first since 2004 (Allen Rossum) when he returned a kick 61 yards in the fourth quarter. Douglas’ return was the longest in his career, topping the previous mark of 33 yards against New Orleans in Week 10.
• Along with a 61-yard punt return, Douglas totaled career-highs in offensive touches with six (two rushing, four receiving) and all purpose yards 188 (which included three rushing, 92 receiving and 93 yards on punt returns). Douglas also became the Falcons third rookie this season to account for a touchdown. Along with Douglas’ run and punt return, quarterback Matt Ryan has thrown 11 touchdown passes and cornerback Chevis Jackson returned an interception 95 yards for a score against New Orleans in Week 10.
• Douglas posted a career-long reception with a 69-yard catch in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 92 receiving yards, which led the team and fell four yards short of his career high (96 vs. Chicago, October 12).
• Wide receiver Roddy White caught Ryan’s first pass of the game for a 30-yard gain, marking the 11th reception of 20-plus yards. White finished the game with four receptions for 70 yards and is 27 yards shy of a 1,000-yard season.
• On Atlanta’s first two offensive possessions of the game, Ryan completed nine of 11 passes for 116 yards and led the Falcons to a 17-0 lead.
• Ryan completed his second-longest career reception with a 69-yard grab in the fourth quarter. He finished the game having completed 17 of 27 passes for 259 yards.
• Running back Jason Snelling caught a 27-yard pass in the first quarter and broke a tackle to take the ball into Carolina territory. The reception is a career-long for the second-year running back, topping his old mark of 18 yards, which he set earlier in the season at Philadelphia.
• Wide receiver Eric Weems caught his first career pass in the first quarter for a four-yard gain. The reception led to a Falcons touchdown. 
• WR Brian Finneran caught one pass for nine yards on a third down in the second quarter, giving the Falcons a new set of downs. In his career, the nine-year veteran has caught 127 of 187 receptions that have gone for a first down or touchdown (67.9 percent).
• Atlanta outscored Carolina in the first quarter by a 10-0 margin, marking the seventh time this season a Falcons opponent was held scoreless in the opening 15 minutes of play. Atlanta has now outscored its opponents in the first quarter by a 88-24 mark and led the NFL in first quarter scoring entering Sunday’s game.
• Following the first quarter of play, the Falcons offense posted 162 net yards of offense compared to zero by the Panthers.
• Falcons defensive end Chauncey Davis recorded a career-high two-sack game when he dropped Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme for a nine-yard loss in the first quarter and a four-yard loss in the fourth quarter. Davis has now registered six career sacks.
• Atlanta defensive end John Abraham logged his 12th sack of the season and stalled a Carolina two-minute drive at the end of the second quarter. The sack is the 14th in his last 12 games, his 22nd in his last 26 contests and has now recorded 79.5 for his career. In his tenure with the Falcons, Abraham has posted 26 sacks in 34 games played.
• Abraham’s 12 sacks through 11 games this season already ranks tied for the fifth most in a single season in Falcons history.
• Atlanta’s defense held Carolina to three-consecutive three and outs to start the game while allowing only eight net yards. Entering Sunday’s game, the Falcons ranked fourth in the NFC and eighth in the NFL in opponent three and out drives.

MORE FROM THE FALCONS-PANTHERS GAME:

• GAMEDAY LIVE: Complete coverage from AtlantaFalcons.com
• GAME CENTER: Stats and more from NFL.com
• GAME RECAP: Falcons use big plays to send Panthers home with loss
• GAME NOTES: Official game notes directly from the Georgia Dome press box
• J. MIKE'S MISSIVES: Thoughts and news from the AF.com managing editor
• VIDEO: Head Coach Mike Smith | Ryan | Turner | Douglas | Davis | Coleman
• TRANSCRIPTS: Head Coach Mike Smith | Falcons | Panthers
• NFL NETWORK: Highlights | Can't Miss Play | Douglas Punt Return | Scoreboard
• TOURING THE TAILGATES: "Falcon Al" checks in on Falcons fans
• INACTIVES: Inactives and starters from the Falcons-Panthers game
• REVIEW AND RESPOND: Ask questions via Voices Heard
• RING OF HONOR: Vote for the next member of the Falcons Ring of Honor
• DISCUSS: Talk about the game with other fans on FalconsLIFE
• PHOTOS: Images from the Falcons victory over Carolina