CHARLOTTE (AP) — The Carolina Panthers might have finally found a way to solve Jake Delhomme's woes: controlled chaos.
A heavy dose of miscues from Matt Ryan and banged-up Atlanta didn't hurt, either.
The Panthers unleashed a no-huddle offense on Sunday with Delhomme calling the plays, and it produced two touchdown passes to Steve Smith, no turnovers and a 28-19 victory over the Falcons.
"No huddle is controlled chaos," said Smith, who tripled Carolina's touchdown total by wide receivers coming into the game. "You've got defense running around and they don't know what they're doing. The no huddle is really easy and simple."
While Delhomme went turnover-free for the third straight game following 13 interceptions in his first six, it was a difficult day for Ryan and the Falcons (5-4). First, they lost running back Michael Turner to a second-quarter sprained ankle after he already rushed for 111 yards. Then kicker Jason Elam and Ryan stymied their late comeback hopes with key fourth-quarter mistakes.
Ryan, throwing too high much of the day, had two more interceptions He's at 12, one more than all of his stellar rookie season.
"I'm young," Ryan said. "I've got a long way to go, a lot of improving to do and a lot of things to learn."
With Ryan completing only 7 of 19 passes in the first half, the Panthers (4-5) built a 21-10 halftime lead. Delhomme looked poised and the Falcons struggled to get the right defensive personnel on the field.
Delhomme, no longer the NFL leader in interceptions after Jay Cutler's struggles with Chicago, found Smith on a pair of 4-yard TDs and was in his comfort zone. Much of Delhomme's best work over the years has come in the 2-minute offense.
"That is something that we practice a good bit," Delhomme said of the no-huddle. "I'm extremely comfortable in that situation."
The Panthers' offense wasn't as successful after halftime, and the game wasn't sealed until Richard Marshall picked off Ryan, setting up Jonathan Stewart's 45-yard touchdown run with 2:07 left.
Earlier, Elam missed a 34-yard field goal that would have given Atlanta the lead. It allowed the Panthers to hold on despite losing the cog of their offensive line, left tackle Jordan Gross, to a broken right ankle.
"I think we were at a major crossroad in the season being 3-5," said receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who had six catches for 91 yards in his return from a knee injury. "If you look at the playoff picture, we have as good a chance as anybody else with seven games left in the season."
The Panthers earned a season split on the Falcons, who fell to 1-4 on the road and will await tests Monday on Turner's right ankle. He went over 100 yards early in the second quarter, but rolled his ankle at the end of a 10-yard run, halting a streak where he had rushed for 428 yards on less than 10 quarters.
Jason Snelling replaced him, finishing with 61 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
"We don't have the explosiveness we had with Michael," Atlanta coach Mike Smith said. "But I thought Jason, for his first time back in a couple of weeks, ran the ball hard."
Ryan got the Falcons to 21-19 when he found tight end Justin Peelle for a 3-yard TD on fourth-and-1. The 2-point conversion attempt with 13:44 left failed when Chris Gamble tackled Snelling on a swing pass.
Ryan later converted a third-and-11 from his own 3 with a 13-yard pass to Tony Gonzalez. But the drive stalled and Elam, hesitated twice before pulling the short field-goal attempt with 6:35 left.
"My timing was kind of a mess from the start," Elam said. "It's me. I need to take the blame."
The Panthers went three-and-out and Eric Weems returned the ensuing punt to the Carolina 49. But Ryan threw into double coverage, ending Atlanta's hopes.
Ryan was 22 of 41 for 224 yards and one touchdown, as the Falcons were unable to take advantage of Carolina's revamped defense after linebacker Thomas Davis' season-ending knee injury last week.
"I don't think there's anything technically wrong with him," receiver Michael Jenkins said of Ryan. "We've just got to limit turnovers and execute better."
DeAngelo Williams (92 yards) and Stewart (82) gave Carolina a solid running game, but it was the passing game that keyed Carolina, even after the Panthers had to shuffle their offensive line.
Gross, the cog of the line, could be lost for the season. Travelle Wharton moved to left tackle and inexperienced Mackenzy Bernadeau played in Wharton's old spot at left guard.
NOTES: The Falcons were without LT Sam Baker (ankle) and WR Brian Finneran (knee). ... Williams played despite being questionable with a sore left knee. ... The Falcons failed to sweep Carolina for the first time since 2004.
Atlanta 3 7 3 6 — 19
Carolina 7 14 0 7 — 28
Atl—FG Elam 35
Car—Stewart 1 run (Kasay kick)
Car—S.Smith 4 pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick)
Atl—Snelling 1 run (Elam kick)
Car—S.Smith 4 pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick)
Atl—FG Elam 24
Atl—Peelle 3 pass from Ryan (pass failed)
Car—Stewart 45 run (Kasay kick)
A—73,239
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs — Atl 22, Car 19
Total Net Yards — Atl 400, Car 380
Rushes-yards — Atl 29-176, Car 34-185
Passing — Atl 224, Car 195
Punt Returns — Atl 2-37, Car 0-0
Kickoff Returns — Atl 1-28, Car 0-0
Interceptions Ret. — Atl 0-0, Car 2-40
Comp-Att-Int — Atl 22-41-2, Car 15-24-0
Sacked-Yards Lost — Atl 0-0, Car 0-0
Punts — Atl 2-54.5, Car 4-44.3
Fumbles-Lost — Atl 0-0, Car 1-0
Penalties-Yards 4-26 5-48
Time of Possession 31:51 28:09
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Atlanta — Turner 9-111, Snelling 18-61, Ryan 2-4.
Carolina — D.Williams 19-92, Stewart 11-82, Delhomme 4-11.
PASSING
Atlanta — Ryan 22-41-2-224.
Carolina — Delhomme 15-24-0-195.
RECEIVING
Atlanta — White 7-98, Gonzalez 6-67, Jenkins 4-15, Snelling 3-32, Peelle 2-12.
Carolina — Muhammad 6-91, S.Smith 4-34, King 2-22, D.Williams 1-30, Rosario 1-11, Jarrett 1-7.
MISSED FIELD GOALS
Atlanta — Elam 34 (WL).
Carolina — Kasay 51 (BK).
Why the Panthers won: After starting the season 0-3, Carolina reworked its offense to take the ball out of Jake Delhomme’s hands until the running game could get traction. Sunday, satisfied they’d survived the worst, the Panthers unveiled the no-huddle offense and let Delhomme call plays from the line of scrimmage. The result was an offense Atlanta hadn’t prepared for.
The play: Leading 21-19 with 4:14 to play, Carolina was forced to punt. Atlanta return man Eric Weems broke free and appeared headed for a touchdown when Carolina punter Jason Baker suddenly appeared, unblocked, at midfield. Baker seemed to startle Weems and then wrestle him toward the sideline, where Weems went out of bounds at the Carolina 49.
Beyond the stats: LT Jordan Gross broke his ankle on a play with 5:22 left in the second quarter. He is feared lost for the season. … The Panthers were once again without FB Brad Hoover, safety Charles Godfrey, DE Nick Hayden and LB Thomas Davis, who was lost for the season last week in New Orleans. … The game Thursday night will be the first in franchise history.
Worth repeating: “Those guys were out there running around with their heads cut off.” — Panthers receiver Steve Smith describing Atlanta’s defense trying to stop the no-huddle.
What’s next: Miami at Carolina, 8:20 p.m. Thursday (NFL Network).
— Ed Hardin
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