Panthers Win Seventh Straight
Can Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers upset the Saints in the Big Easy?
The Carolina Panthers have now won their seventh in a row with yet another last second win over their opponents, this time it was the Miami Dolphins 20-16. For the second straight game, the Panthers benefited greatly from a penalty flag against them in the end zone being picked up. Like last week in their last second save against the New England Patriots when Luke Keuchly was flagged for pass interference, this week a target penalty on him was picked up late in the first half. Instead of a first and goal inside the five, the Dolphins had to settle for a field goal. Those four points ended up being a big difference.
Not only would the Dolphins have gone up 20-3 at the time, but the Panthers were left with just enough time to kick a field goal on the final play of the half. So the penalty flag being picked up wound up costing the Dolphins as much as seven points and really changed the complexion of the game.
To the Panthers credit, they took advantage by driving the second half’s opening possession for a touchdown to make the score 16-13. Their defense completely shut down Miami’s running game all day long and in the second half they pressured Ryan Tannehill into several three-and-outs.
They took over at their own 20 yard line with just under 4:00 to go with a chance to win the game. A five yard penalty and a negative play on first down made it second and 18 from their own 12. After a scramble from Cam Newton to the 20 made it third and ten, a pass that should have been intercepted by the Dolphins, but was dropped.
Like a good quarterback does, Newton made Miami pay when the Panthers went for it on fourth down and ten. He completed a 19 yard pass to Steve Smith and from there Miami could not stop him and the Panthers. Miami was left with a decision to use their timeouts to allow time for the offense to answer a Panthers field goal or hope the Panthers would run out of time. They chose to use timeouts and it cost them. The extra plays resulted in Carolina scoring a touchdown.
In other NFC South action, the Tampa Bay Bucs won their third game in a row after an 0-8 start. They beat the Detroit Lions 24-21 to keep them from taking advantage of the Chicago Bears loss to the St. Louis Rams. The Bucs got four interceptions in the game off of Matthew Stafford in the upset win. The fourth Bucs pick came off a pass that slipped through Calvin Johnson’s hands inside the five in the final seconds to preserve the win.
This sets up next week’s game between the Bucs and Panthers in Charlotte. Someone’s streak will have to end in this one. The game will feature two of the NFL’s brightest young quarterbacks in Newton and Mike Glennon of the Bucs. Glennon was 14 of 21 against the Lions with two TDs and no picks. Since he took over as the Bucs starter, they have improved every week. If the Panthers look past them because they have a date with the division leading New Orleans Saints the following week, they could be sorry.
If the point spread on Tampa Bay and Carolina is the Bucs+6 or higher, we recommend taking the Bucs. This game should be a close one. We also like the under if it is 35Â or more.
