Panthers good enough to overcome mistakes, beat Saints 41-38

After Carolina touchdowns, usually ones he scores or at least has a hand in scoring, Cam Newton likes to give the ball to a Panthers fan in the stands, usually a kid in a Panthers jersey.

Carolina, the only remaining unbeaten team in the NFL, has the ninth 12-0 start in league history.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) drops back to pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015. The second half became a standard shootout between the two teams as both the Saints and the Panthers refused to yield. New Orleans took the lead twice in the fourth quarter, but Newton answered with TD passes each time. You can’t say it’s scheme.

That brings us to the South champion Panthers, who had every chance to lose their spotless record in New Orleans, yet rallied, then rallied again.

In addition to coverage mix-ups, the Saints were hurt by penalties, committing 11 for 104 yards – several of the drive-sustaining variety on third down.

Newton passed for five touchdowns, capped by a 15-yard scoring strike to Jerricho Cotchery with 1:05 to go, and the Panthers clinched the NFC South with a 41-38 victory over the Saints on Sunday. “You’ve got to find ways to adjust, and we do plenty of good things”.

“I woke up this morning and it felt good, it felt a little better”.

A week after tossing five touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Wilson, who is hoping to lead Seattle to the post-season after appearing in back-to-back Super Bowls, went 21 for 27 and accounted for three scores, two to wide receiver Doug Baldwin.

But linebacker Luke Kuechly more than understands why his unit collapsed for really the first time all season. I get the information when I get the information. Of the sideline blowup with Allen, Sean Payton said: “It’s going to be a competitive game”. “I said walking into this door (into the interview room) I was not going to get into it”, Payton began. Payton threw the red challenge flag but was told that he could not challenge it because there was no play with 12 men on the field.

There is no denying the fact that Newton’s performance was crucial for Panthers’ victory.

It didn’t take long for Carolina to catch up, as in the second quarter Panthers quarterback Cam Newton hit fullback Mike Tolbert for a 12-yard touchdown pass. Follow that up with a 5-yard touchdown run by Stewart, and Carolina was only one point behind. Newton scrambled to his left and lobbed a pass to his favorite target, tight end Greg Olsen, for 16 yards. In overtime former Raven Torrey Smith caught a 71 yard game winning pass to give the 49ers a 26-20 win.

However, the Saints’ offense was unable to convert cornerback Delvin Breaux’s interception or Kenny Vaccaro’s recovery of Olsen’s fumble into points.

Josh Brown missed his 48-yard field goal after Randy Bullock had split the posts at the other end to ensure Gang Green defeated the team they share a stadium with for the first time since 1993.

Anthony scored when he ripped the ball away from Jonathan Stewart as the running back tried to push through a pile of players.

Jameis Winston has gotten better since you last played him? “But that won’t happen again”, said Newton, who admitted to slowing up because he thought he had a clear path to the end zone.

“When it comes to the protocol stuff, I don’t know what that is”.

But on the Panthers’ ensuing extra point attempt, the kick was blocked and returned for a safety by Anthony, putting the Saints ahead 16-13.

Under that logic, the Carolina Panthers top concern right now would be stopping Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday at home.

BRONCOS 17, CHARGERS 3: Brock Osweiler threw for one touchdown and Danny Trevathan intercepted Philip Rivers and returned it 25 yards for a score, leading Denver to a victory against hapless San Diego.