CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — When Carolina Panthers nickel cornerback Chau Smith-Wade saw Michael Penix Jr. turn his body to the left and prepare to throw a short dump-off pass in the left flat, his eyes lit up and he instinctually raced to jump the route.

It was a play Smith-Wade had seen on tape, and knew might be coming.

Smith-Wade accelerated toward the ball, stepped in front of intended receiver Bijan Robinson to grab the pass with two hands and raced 11 yards to the end zone to give Carolina a 17-0 lead. The Panthers would go on to intercept Penix twice and force three turnovers overall in a 30-0 rout of the Atlanta Falcons.

Despite benching Penix with 11 minutes left in the game for veteran Kirk Cousins with the Falcons trailing 27-0, coach Raheem Morris squashed talk of making a chang

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