Carolina Panthers no longer have the NFL’s worst defense
The Carolina Panthers earned their first win of the season Sunday with a dominant defensive performance, shutting out the Atlanta Falcons.
Defensive back Chau Smith-Wade highlighted the game with a third-quarter interception returned for a touchdown.
Carolina’s defense forced three turnovers, intercepted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. twice, and limited Atlanta to just 5-of-16 on third and fourth-down attempts.
The victory marked the Panthers’ first shutout since November 2020.
The strong showing also lifted Carolina out of the bottom of the NFL’s defensive rankings, ESPN reports. The Panthers now rank eighth in points allowed per game at 17, despite sitting 21st in yards allowed.
