Falcons' Ryan also struggling

CHARLOTTE -- While some in Atlanta are concerned about Matt Ryan's recent flurry of interceptions, he's nowhere close to matching the passing woes in Carolina.

Through eight games, the Panthers have one touchdown catch by a wide receiver. Yes, Steve Smith is still on the roster.

"I am totally shocked," fellow receiver Muhsin Muhammad said. "It's amazing. It's befuddling to me. I don't understand it."

With the Falcons (5-3) and Panthers (3-5) bringing two of the league's elite running backs in Michael Turner and DeAngelo Williams into today's NFC South contest, the disparities in the passing game have helped define their opposite seasons.

Sure, Ryan has thrown eight interceptions in the past four games, but his six touchdowns in that span are one more than Carolina's Jake Delhomme has mustered all season. With Ryan steady enough and Turner on a two-game tear, the Falcons remain in playoff position in the NFC after last week's victory over Washington.

"Certainly I would like to play a little bit better, but it's a long season and you're going to have some ups and downs," said Ryan, who threw a career-high three TDs in a Week 2 win over the Panthers. "I just have to grind it out, get through it, and prepare well during the week. All in all, I think we're doing well."

That's not the case in Carolina, where Delhomme threw 13 interceptions in the first six games, barely kept his job, then hasn't thrown a pick in two weeks. But in the past two games the Panthers have looked more like a single wing team, running the ball 83 times to only 45 passes.

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