The Carolina Panthers are still undefeated, but their perfect season nearly ended in historic fashion. Cam Newton capped off an amazing day with a 49-yard drive to set up a 43-yard game-winning Graham Gano field goal for a 38-35 win over the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon.
Panthers stave off 28-point Giants comeback to stay undefeated
The Giants came back from a 28-point deficit only to fall JUST short of upsetting the undefeated Panthers.
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The Giants trailed, 35-7, late in the third quarter after the Panthers forced a punt and scored a touchdown on a short field to seemingly put the game out of reach. The Giants scored 28 points to tie the game, 35-35, on a fourth-and-5 touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham burned nemesis Josh Norman on the play after being bottled up for most of the game by the Defensive Player of the Year candidate. The two tussled early in the game after talking trash during the week. Beckham gained 54 of his 76 yards on the Giants' final scoring drive to salvage the day.
The Giants' comeback started with what was, at the time, a seemingly innocuous 13-play touchdown drive after the Panthers got their largest lead of the day. The drive signaled that the Panthers' attention had wandered on defense, however. The Giants scored on a 38-yard Rashad Jennings touchdown run on their next possession after forcing a three-and-out to pull within 14 points.
The game became frenetic after that. The Giants blocked a Panthers field goal attempt on the next possession, but proceeded to turn the ball over on an Eli Manning interception in the end zone. The Panthers could have iced the game at that point, but they gave the ball back on a fumble caused by miscommunication between Newton and rookie running back Cameron Artis-Payne on a zone read. The Giants took over on the Panthers' 14-yard line and scored three plays later.
Newton was ultimately the hero. After Beckham tied the game, Newton accounted for all 49 yards on the Panthers’ final drive to set up Gano’s game-winning field goal that went through the uprights as time expired. Newton passed for 340 yards and five touchdowns in addition to rushing for 100 yards to bolster his MVP candidacy.
The Panthers have been one of the best, most exciting things about this season. They still are, but Sunday’s game will certainly be a wake-up call. They were lucky to remain on the winning end.
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