Falcons vs. Panthers: Who was the offensive player of the game?

The Falcons have absolutely owned the Panthers since Dan Quinn took over in 2015. In that time, Carolina has only managed to win two games. It really is a shame that the Falcons can’t play them every week. They gifted the Falcons an afternoon with 40 points and lots of standout performances.

Here are some of the most notable ones.

Matt Ryan

The franchise QB joined some esteemed company on the day, eclipsing 50,000 passing yards and passing Peyton Manning for the most yards of any QB through his first 12 years in NFL history. On the day he was 20 of 34 for 313 yards, 2 touchdowns and no INTs. Considering the ridiculous pressure he’s been under in the pocket this year, it’s a small miracle he’s continued to deliver these kinds of numbers.

Calvin Ridley

The second most important receiver in this offense has absolutely owned the Panthers. He has scored a touchdown in every single game he’s played against them and kept that streak alive on Sunday. With 5 receptions for 76 yards and the touchdown, Carolina had a hard time containing the second year receiver.

Olamide Zaccheaus

When the Falcons put Zaccheaus on the 53-man roster at the beginning of the year, there were high hopes that the undrafted rookie out of Virgina could develop into nice receiving depth. He’s been inactive for most of the season, but he showed us on Sunday why he could be someone to keep an eye on.

He may have had only one reception, but it went for 93 yards and the longest touchdown pass in Matt Ryan’s career. This has been a terrible year for Atlanta, but young guys like Olamide may be the bright spot of the season.

Devonta Freeman

The Falcons running game has been a disaster this year, so it was nice to finally see glimpses of what made us all love Freeman to begin with. He had one of his best games in a long time, with 17 carries for 84 yards (4.9 average) and a rushing touchdown.

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