Carolina needs OT after 23-7 lead slips

Indianapolis only managed to get a field goal out of the turnover. But Kuechly intercepted Andrew Luck in overtime on a tipped pass to set up Gano’s winning kick. Just as Newton could benefit from running out of bounds more often, Luck would do well to throw the ball away more moving forward.

The Panthers vs. Colts game continued despite the protest. The Colts recovered and took over at their four-yard line. He’s probably the one to target although make sure you watch the news as monitoring this backfield week to week will be key. This week he made an insane TD catch over two Vikings defenders in the end zone and was targeted into the mid-teens by Jay Cutler. Newton, a 26-year-old, had trouble getting a grip on the ball all night.

During a sloppy night that featured steady rain, Luck rallied his team from a 23-6 hole but also looked out of sorts and tossed three interceptions. Newton was sacked twice and had decent protection throughout the night.

“It’s my problem, and it’s hurting the team”, Luck said, via ESPN. “In the past, I don’t know if we quite knew how to win games”. Mentally, I feel all right. “It was tough on both quarterbacks early on from a weather standpoint and trying to throw the football”, Pagano said after the game. I would love to get a touchdown on the first drive rather than the field goal but it is great that we got points especially Coach trusting in us to go for it on multiple fourth down situations.

This season, the Colts are 1-5 with Luck as their quarterback, but 2-0 with Matt Hasselbeck. The 10-year veteran has 55 career touchdown catches. Three plays later, Newton found Philly Brown for a touchdown.

The Panthers were on the verge of scoring late in the third quarter, reaching the Indianapolis 1-yard line.

After a good defensive stop and a attractive punt return, the Panthers were back at it on the offensive end.

Then there’s the case of the Dolphins, whose 2015 schedule has been eerily similar to the Colts through the first seven weeks and had positive results come out of a head coach change coming into a bye week, which the Colts have coming up after next week’s visit from the undefeated, Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos. Olsen uncharacteristically dropped a wide-open pass that would have gained 20 yards.

Johnson led the team with 81 receiving yards on four receptions from Luck. He produced 82 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries Monday. A No. 1 seed in the playoffs guarantees one home playoff game. On a third-and-4 from the 6, Luck fired into the end zone and Kuechly almost came down with an interception but the ball fell out of his hands on a wet field with two seconds left. A Vinatieri field goal would tie things up and send it to overtime.

-K Adam Vinatieri was 4-for-4 on field-goal attempts against the Panthers, including a 50-yarder in overtime, and that must have brought back bitter flashbacks for Carolina fans. Afterward we’ll look ahead to Week 9 to see what’s in store for both teams. [Jansen]waving at me as he was waiting to snap the ball. You’re not going to play great 16 times a year. The first down virtually sealed the Panthers win, but Greg Olsen (+4, -3) was flagged for holding on another debatable call that went against Carolina. Four 7-0 teams is the most in National Football League history, doubling the previous high of two, which last occurred in 2009.

And though the Titans were not picked to make it to the Super Bowl like many thought the Colts would achieve a berth in, the Lions were 11-5 past year, the same record the Colts posted on their way to an AFC Finalist banner.

“It’s a long season, and our goals are still attainable”, Luck said.