The Carolina Panthers' perfect season came to end Sunday, as they took their first loss of the year against NFC South rival the Atlanta Falcons 20-13. The Falcons weren't the only team to come out with a big win on Sunday, as the New York Jets also took down a conference leader, beating the New England Patriots in overtime 26-20.
The Panthers still sit in first place in the NFC playoff picture, but Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones was too much to handle for the Panthers' outstanding defense. Jones had nine receptions for 178 yards and a touchdown. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had a huge afternoon, throwing over 300 yards and completing 23 of 30 passing attempts.
On the other side of the ball, the Panthers struggled to move the ball, passing for just 142 yards through the air. Quarterback Cam Newton managed to rush for a touchdown and lead the team with seven carries on the afternoon. While it's clearly difficult for the Panthers to lose to a division rival, some think that the loss is not such a bad thing for Carolina. Head coach Ron Rivera will be able to have his team review the game tape and see adjustments that the Panthers need to make going into the postseason, and the pressure of going undefeated is now off their shoulders.
While the Panthers will look to focus on moving forward, many in New England will likely be second-guessing their decision to kick in overtime, as the Jets drove down the field and ended the game with a touchdown. There was clearly some confusion over the coin toss in overtime, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Patriots wide receiver Matthew Slater said that he had checked with coaches multiple times and that they definitely wanted to kickoff, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. The Patriots still hold onto the first seed in the AFC, but the loss could lose them home field advantage.
Head coach Bill Belichick will need his defense to improve in the postseason, as Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had another incredible game. The Jets quarterback threw for 296 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall was huge in the win for New York and caught eight passes for 115 yards with two touchdowns.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers falling to the Ravens 20-17 on Sunday, the Jets now control their own destiny. New York could be a difficult matchup for any team in the AFC, and if Fitzpatrick continues to play this well, the Jets could be a legitimate contender.
