It was over when ...
The Panthers handed the ball to DeShaun Foster in their final drive with the Falcons trailing by a touchdown. Foster helped Carolina burn the final four and a half minutes with a series of powerful runs, preserving a 27-20 win.

John Bazemore / Associated Press

Panthers safety Chris Harris came up with seven tackles and a forced fumble in Carolina's win.

Game balls
Foster scampered for 122 yards on the ground and also caught a 13-yard touchdown for the Panthers. For the Falcons, former first-round pick Roddy White finally seems to be developing into a bona fide No. 1 receiver as he pulled down seven catches for 127 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat
Atlanta self-destructed with 10 penalties for 135 yards, including 67 yards on one defensive series, allowing the Panthers a much easier road to the end zone.

Noteworthy
Carolina receiver Steve Smith was in and out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury and he definitely seemed affected by it, catching only one pass for 10 yards.