- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Defense Keeps Panthers’ Playoff Hopes Alive, But It Won’t Save Sinking Season
- Updated: November 18, 2016
Apparently the Carolina Panthers like life on the edge.
After dropping five of their first six games, the Panthers peeled off two wins in a row to offer fans some hope of a fourth straight trip to the playoffs. But after blowing a 17-0 lead at home against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, those hopes appeared all but dashed.
Well, Carolina again rose from the dead with a 23-20 win over the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday night. And while quarterback Cam Newton may have been the team (and NFL) MVP during a run to the Super Bowl last year, it was the defense that performed CPR on the Panthers’ season in Week 11.
Share Tweet
The defense may have saved the day this time. But it can’t save the season—especially with its best player potentially on the shelf.
The offense wasn’t exactly helpful. Playing against a Saints team that had allowed just over 400 yards a game (29th in the NFL), the Panthers generated only 223 yards of offense. The ground game was particularly awful, managing just 50 yards.
That’s over 60 yards under the team’s season average of 113.9 coming into Thursday’s action.
Sure, there were flashes here and there, including a beautiful catch by wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. in the back of the end zone.
.@TedGinnJr_19 takes us through his HUGE TD at the end of the 1st half. #TNF #KeepPounding https://t.co/2L0Zn3MhNA
— NFL (@NFL) November 18, 2016
But for most of the game, the Panthers offense was, well, offensive. It recorded one first down in the entire fourth quarter.
So, it fell to linebacker Luke Kuechly, safety Kurt Coleman and the Carolina defense to bring home the win. Kuechly, who entered the week second in the NFC and fourth in the league with 88 tackles, piled up 14 stops. Coleman added nine tackles and an interception. And defensive end Mario Addison notched a pair of sacks.
For three quarters, the Panthers dominated the NFL’s top-ranked offense, holding the Saints to only three points.
But NFL games have four quarters—and in the fourth quarter, the wheels came off for Carolina.
It wasn’t just that the Panthers, for the …
