Matt Ryan threw for 281 yards and rushed for a touchdown as the Atlanta Falcons bagged only their second win of the season with a 25-17 victory over divisional rivals the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. Quarterback Ryan helped the Falcons come back from a 14-6 second quarter deficit to help Atlanta improve to 2-6 in the NFC South. The Panthers fell to 3-4 with the defeat. A rain-soaked encounter at Carolina's Bank of America Stadium was marred by a sickening hit on Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in the third quarter which saw Atlanta's Charles Harris ejected. Harris drove his shoulder into a defenseless Bridgewater's helmet after the Panthers quarterback was tripped while scrambling on third down. Bridgewater was taken to the sidelines and checked for concussion, but later returned in the fourth quarter. Earlier, Younghoe Koo opened the scoring for the Falcons with a 20-yard field goal, but the Panthers hit back when Curtis Samuel rushed for 12 yards into the end zone to cap an eight-play drive. The Falcons responded with a lengthy drive but their offense spluttered once they entered the red zone. Ryan was sacked by the Panthers' British defensive end Efe Obada on 3rd & 10 for a five-yard loss, forcing the Falcons to settle for another Koo field goal. The Panthers punted on their next drive but got the ball back quickly when an under-pressure Ryan was picked off at the Atlanta 40-yard line. On the ensuing drive, Bridgewater punished slack defending by Atlanta to pick out Samuel for a 29-yard completion into the end zone to make it 14-6. But Ryan then scrambled from 13 yards out for a touchdown of his own before a further Koo field goal made it 16-14 to Atlanta at half-time. Koo's third field goal of the night midway through the third quarter stretched the Falcons' lead to 19-14, before Panthers kicker Joey Slye cut the deficit with a 39-yard field goal to make it 19-17. The Falcons made the game safe four minutes into the fourth quarter when running back Todd Gurley crashed over from three yards out. rcw/mtp