-Article and photos by Patrick Magoon of WIZS

The Carolina Panthers kicked off their final home game of the season with an impressive season-high 14-play drive which spanned 73 yards. Carolina’s offense was moving the ball well until quarterback Taylor Heinicke suffered a painful injury in the second quarter. An abundance of penalties, the allowance of explosive plays on defense and costly turnovers in the red zone prevented Carolina from pulling out a win for the seventh time in a row this season.

Here are your grades for Carolina’s Week 16 loss to the Falcons:

Quarterback – C: First-time starter Taylor Heinicke got off to a hot start, throwing his first touchdown pass as a pro on the opening drive, but the feeling was shortlived. An unfortunate left elbow/shoulder injury, suffering multiple hits in the pocket and mediocre protection from his offensive line forced him to scramble often and occasionally release the ball early, which helped facilitate costly turnovers in the red zone. Heinicke threw three interceptions (one wasn’t his fault) and earned a passer rating of 58.2. He made some mental mistakes typical of a quarterback who hasn’t started since 2014, but he deserves some praise for fighting through immense pain.

Offensive Line – D: The protection coming from the broken offensive line again was mediocre at best. The unit continuously crumbled under pressure and drew a flag multiple times.

Running Backs – A-: Christian McCaffrey was the star of the offense, per usual. He didn’t make any flashy plays, but his consistent hands carried the team. On Sunday, he added another 100-yard rushing game to his collection and broke the NFL single-season reception record previously set by Bears’ Matt Forte in 2014 (102).

Tight end – B+: Ian Thomas earned his first touchdown as a pro on Carolina’s opening drive. He connected with Heinicke for a one-yard score. Thomas conveyed flashes of elite talent as he continues to master offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s system. His smooth route running skills make him a trustworthy target across the middle of the field and in back of the end zone.

Wide Receivers – B+: Sure-handed Jarius Wright bounced back after fumbling his second catch of the game. He quickly built rapport with both quarterbacks, which paved the way for an inspiring season-high six-catch performance. Curtis Samuel was also heavily involved on offense. He caught seven passes for 41 yards. His speed and remarkable hand-eye coordination allow him to stretch the field.

Defensive Line – C-: The Panthers’ struggled to put an adequate about of pressure on Matt Ryan or counter Atlanta’s physical run game. The unit recorded just one sack.

Linebackers – B+: Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis are the heart and soul of the defense. They both do an excellent job of reading the quarterback’s eyes and adjusting their position to quickly shut down an offensive target. Kuechly played well against Julio Jones when he lined up in the slot and was an effective run-stopper for most of the game. Both linebackers finished today’s matchup with a combined 12 total tackles.

Secondary – C-: Cornerback James Bradberry played lights out in man coverage. He recorded an impressive four PBUs, but his teammates let him down throughout different parts of the game. Blown coverage by veteran safety Mike Adams stemming from confusion surrounding the formation on defense allowed Ryan to easily hit a wide-open Calvin Ridley in stride for a touchdown at the start of the third quarter. Captain Munnerlyn was also responsible for allowing several explosive plays. The unit allowed at least five plays of 20-plus yards.

Special teams – C+: Chandler Catanzaro nailed a 50-yard field goal. Kenjon Barner had minimal success fielding punts. He was able to return just two punts for a combined 16 yards. Barner got closelined by Atlanta’s punter during a return – not a good look.