ATLANTA -- Matt Ryan threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns, plus ran for two scores as the Atlanta Falcons outlasted the Carolina Panthers 31-24 Sunday. Both teams are now 1-1 on the season.

The Panthers allowed the Falcons to rush for 170 yards on the ground. Starting for the injured Devonta Freeman, running back Tevin Coleman ran for 107 yards alone, the first 100-yard rusher Carolina has allowed in 21 games.

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton threw for 335 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in the loss. 

The NFC South rivals traded field goals in the first quarter with Carolina, striking first on a 54-yarder from Graham Gano and Atlanta tying things on Matt Bryant's 44-yarder. 

Second quarter is when Newton connected on his first touchdown pass of the game, finding Jarius Wright from five yards out to take a 10-3 lead. Matt Ryan then went to work, throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Ridley to tie the score at 10; and then finding Austin Hooper from eight yards out with 22 seconds left in the half to go up 17-10 at halftime.

Ryan scored the first of his two rushing TDs in the third quarter to go up 24-10.

Newton rallied the Panthers in the fourth, finding Torrey Smith in the endzone for his first touchdown as a Panther as the lead was cut to 24-17. However Ryan marched the Falcons 75 yards on a seven-play drive that culminated with his second rushing touchdown of the day and the lead was back to two scores again.

With 2:20 left, Newton connected with D.J. Moore and the rookie's legs did the rest, resulting in a 51-yard touchdown -- the first of Moore's career -- and the Atlanta lead was 31-24.

The Panthers defense forced Atlanta to punt as Carolina got the ball back with two minutes left.  But the Panthers last gasp failed as with five seconds left from the Falcons 31-yard line, Newton's pass into the endzone to Moore fell incomplete.