National Football League
Atlanta 31, Carolina 10
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 12, 2010
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Temperature: 44°
Head Official: Clete Blakeman
Attendance: 71235

Michael Turner rushed for three touchdowns and the Atlanta Falcons maintained their hold on the top spot in the NFC with a 31-10 road win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Atlanta (11-2) dominated from the start, scoring touchdowns on its first two possessions and taking a 17-0 halftime lead.

The Falcons, who have won seven straight, entered the day a game ahead of New Orleans in the NFC South and a game ahead of the Saints and Chicago Bears for the best record in the conference.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan threw for 227 yards on 20 of 34 passing with an interception and a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Gonzalez. Turner scored on runs of 1, 3 and 4 yards.

Jonathan Stewart rushed for 133 yards on 18 carries for the Panthers (1-12). Mike Goodson added 70 yards on nine carries with a 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen threw for 107 yards on 14 of 24 passing with an interception for the Panthers, who have lost seven straight.

Top Game Performances
Rushing
Atlanta   Carolina
Michael Turner Player Jonathan Stewart
28 Attempts 18
112 Yards 133
4.0 Avg Yards 7.4
3 Touchdowns 0
16 Long 48
Receiving
Atlanta   Carolina
Roddy White Player Brandon LaFell
8 Receptions 6
79 Yards 38
9.9 Avg Yards 6.3
0 Touchdowns 0
18 Long 17
Team Stats Summary
 
  Yards Scoring Defense
Team Tot Rus Pas TD FG INT Sck FF
Atlanta 327 127 200 4 1 1 5.0 1
Carolina 288 212 76 1 1 1 3.0 0
Upcoming Games
  • Carolina will play their next game at home against Arizona. The Panthers have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • Atlanta will play their next game on the road against Seattle. The Falcons have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.