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The quarterback took off running Brian Burns Jersey , only to find three defenders waiting for him at the goal line.No problem. He simply ran right over them.Cam Newton?Nope, Matt Ryan.Ryan threw a pair of scoring passes, which wasn’t all that unusual, and also ran for two touchdowns for the first time in his career, leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 31-24 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.“I can’t remember the last time I had two TDs,” Ryan said with a smile.Newton was rocked early on by cheap shot from Damontae Kazee , who was thrown out of the game for the helmet-to-helmet hit while the Panthers quarterback was sliding at the end of the run. Newton was able to stay in the game, throwing a pair of touchdown passes, and he had one last chance to send the game to overtime.From the Falcons 31, Newton lofted a pass into the end zone for D.J. Moore Luke Kuechly Color Rush Jersey , who was double-covered and let the ball slip through his hands as time expired.“I had a good shot at it,” Moore said, “but it just came down too fast.”While Newton rushed for 42 yards, it was Ryan who had the most significant impact with his legs.After scoring on a 1-yard sneak that pushed Atlanta (1-1) to a 24-10 lead early in the third quarter, Ryan delivered the biggest blow with a gutsy scamper midway through the fourth quarter. Looking to throw on third-and-5 from the Carolina 8, he spotted a running lane to the left and took off.There were three Carolina players waiting for him at the goal line — including 346-pound former teammate Dontari Poe — but Ryan leaped in the air and bowled them all over , falling across the goal line for the TD that restored Atlanta’s two-touchdown lead over the Panthers (1-1).“I didn’t want to slide in that situation or go down because you don’t know where you’re going to be marked,” he said. “I felt something below my feet, and just went up the best I could. It was a good decision.”Ryan finished 23 of 28 passing for 272 yards, a performance that took some of the heat off offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. Roundly panned for his play-calling last season and in a season-opening loss to Philadelphia Ryan Kalil Color Rush Jersey , he got a bunch of people involved.Eight players caught passes. Six ran the ball including Tevin Coleman, who gained 107 yards on 16 carries filling in for injured Devonta Freeman.Just like that, the Falcons resembled the high-scoring team that made it all the way to the Super Bowl two seasons ago with Kyle Shanahan as the coordinator.The most telling possession for Atlanta came with the first half winding down. Ryan completed six straight passes to five receivers — none of them, amazingly enough, Julio Jones.Tight end Austin Hooper had two catches for 15 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown with 22 seconds remaining that gave the Falcons a 17-10 halftime lead .Backup receiver Marvin Hall had a 30-yard reception, while rookie Calvin Ridley hauled in a 22-yarder. The running backs also got into the passing game, with Coleman and rookie Ito Smith also making catches.Ridley, a first-round pick from Alabama, had his first career TD on an 11-yard pass in the second quarter.CHEAP SHOTThe Panthers were livid about Kazee’s hit on Newton Graham Gano Jersey , who was sliding to the turf at the end of a 10-yard run. Kazee came at him helmet-first, snapping back Newton’s head.Carolina receiver Torrey Smith raced in to deliver a shot that sent Kazee to the turf, also drawing a personal foul penalty but not an ejection. Ricardo Allen jumped on top of Kazee to prevent any other Carolina players from going after him.Newton was quickly examined and returned to the field without missing a play.Afterward, he didn’t seem too upset.“This game isn’t fit for cheap shots like that, but at the end of the day you can’t blame him,” Newton said. “He’s playing as hard as he can. I’m playing as hard as I can.”BALANCED FALCONSCoach Dan Quinn wanted balance from his offense.Mission accomplished.The Falcons ran the ball 32 times for 170 yards. They threw 28 passes for 272 yards, finishing with the second-most total yards (442) of Sarkisian’s 20-game tenure. Even more important, they scored on all four trips inside the red zone, a longstanding issue.This was the fifth time the Falcons have scored at least 30 points under Sarkisian, compared with 13 times in 19 games during the 2016 season. They have yet to score 40 points under their current coordinator; Atlanta did it six times in Shanahan’s final season.INJURY REPORTThe injuries continued to pile up for both teams Julius Peppers Jersey , which already were dealing with several missing starters.The Falcons lost starting left guard Andy Levitre to an elbow injury, while backup defensive end Derrick Shelby left with a groin injury.Carolina had a pair of starters in the secondary go down: strong safety Da’Norris Searcy (concussion) and cornerback Donte Jackson (hamstring).UP NEXTPanthers: Return home next Sunday to host the Cincinnati Bengals (2-0), who have 10 days to prepare after playing this past Thursday night.Falcons: Play their second straight home game against an NFC South rival when the New Orleans Saints (1-1) visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium.___ CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)While NFL owners were busy unanimously approving the sale of the Carolina Panthers to hedge fund owner David Tepper in Atlanta, his new team was taking the field for the first time together this season 250 miles away in Charlotte.Tepper inherits a team that will have a noticeably new look for 2018.Sure, many of the veteran core players including Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Greg Olsen, Ryan Kalil and Kawann Short are back DJ Moore Color Rush Jersey , but Carolina has an unusually high influx of new players this offseason via free agency, trades and the NFL draft following a year in which they lost in the first round of the playoffs to New Orleans.The Panthers replaced all-time leading rusher Jonathan Stewart with free agent C.J. Anderson from the Broncos and added three wide receivers. They acquired Torrey Smith in a trade with the Super Bowl champion Eagles, signed free agent Jarius Wright and drafted D.J. Moore from Maryland in the first round.Panthers coach Ron Rivera hopes free agent Russ Cockrell and second-round pick Donte Jackson provide long-term stability at cornerback while Da’Norris Searcy can fill the shoes of Kurt Coleman at safety. Carolina also invested $28 million in free agent defensive tackle Dontari Poe to replace Star Lotulelei.”We wanted some veteran guys who have a feel for what it takes,” Rivera said Tuesday.That includes Smith and Anderson, who recently won Super Bowls.It’s early yet, but Rivera likes what he’s seen from the newcomers.”I feel very comfortable about the veteran guys that we brought it and now it’s about the young guys,” Rivera said. ”Not just this year’s rookie class but last year’s rookie class. A group of those guys have got to step up.”Tepper stepped up and bought the Panthers last week for an NFL-record $2.2 billion in cash, setting the stage for a new era to begin in Carolina.The hedge fund owner was formerly a minority owner with the Pittsburgh Steelers, although he will have to sell that share now that he is running the Panthers. His agreement to purchase the team ended a five-month search for new ownership after franchise founder Jerry Richardson announced he was selling amid allegations of improper sexual and racial behavior at the team’s headquarters in Charlotte.”For a lot of people I am sure they are ready for some closure and for that transition to start,” Olsen said. ”… I think this transition has been inevitable for a little while since it was announced that the team would be sold. I think for a lot of people in the building James Color Rush Bradberry Jersey , the players, the team, just to put all of this to rest and move forward in the new direction that the team is going with.”Rivera said he’s met Tepper a couple of times in passing and presented a formal presentation to him – and other potential owners – during the bidding process.He likes that Tepper has been around the NFL as a part owner.”He has a sense and a feel for football and he has been around it,” Rivera said. ”… Eventually I know we will sit down and talk some football and talk about this team.”Meanwhile, Newton was the on the field throwing during the first day of OTAs. He missed all of the spring workouts last year because of surgery on his right shoulder.Rivera said having a healthy Newton for these camps is essential because he sets the tone and tempo for the team during practice. He also said it is ”critical” that he has a chance to get on the same page with his new group of receivers.”I am excited about having him out here and throwing the ball and developing that” chemistry, Rivera said.Newton is in the midst of learning a new offensive system.Norv Turner replaced Mike Shula as offensive coordinator this offseason. Shula was Newton’s coordinator since 2013 and had a close relationship with him. Rivera said at first Newton was nervous about the change, but has now started to settle down.The quarterback seemed relaxed Tuesday, running and smiling and trading his normal barbs with linebacker Thomas Davis after big plays.”I think Cam gets that Norv is here to help,” Rivera said.—