The first stat I always look at is 3rd down conversion percentage. The Panthers were exceptional in this against the Falcons.
3rd Down Conversion Percentage: 8 of 14 (56%)
When you add in the 1 for 1 in 4th down conversions it rises to 9 of 15 (60%). This is why the Panthers dominated in time of possession, holding the ball a full 13 minutes more than the Falcons. The Panthers also ran 50% more plays than the Falcons on offense (75 vs. 50).
Avg Yards per Rush: 4.0
The 4.0 ypr mark is a bogey the Panthers should shoot for every week because when they hit it it usually means the running game is being effective. Effective rushing always opens up the playbook for the Panthers.
Yards per Pass Play: 6.5
We would like to see this number higher which I think was impacted by Newton's inability to hit any deep balls in this game. It wasn't for a lack of trying. Surprisingly the Panthers threw deep on 3rd down more than we've seen in the past. Remember two of those deep passes were picked off. Hopefully they will have a little more success this week.
Penalties: 2 for 15 yards
Without looking it up that has to be one of our best penalty performances of the season. Few penalties is another hallmark of a good team; they haven't been making the stupid mistakes that cost them points earlier in the season.
Player Snap Counts:
Here are the players that played at least 90% of the snaps on both sides of the ball.
Offense: Newton, Gross, Kalil, Wharton, Bell and Olsen
Defense: White, Mitchell, Munnerlyn, Kuechly, Davis
Additional counts that stand out include Mike Tolbert getting on the field for 55% of the offensive plays and Ted Ginn for 43%.
On defense I found it interesting the UDFA CB Melvin White was the only player on the field for 100% of the defensive plays. You could make an argument that he is now our #1 CB...let that sink in for a moment.