Cat Scratch Reader
The Carolina Panthers had a chance to take a stranglehold on the NFC South, but they could not get anything going against the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints took a conservative approach to their first drive and went nowhere with it. The Panthers largely did the same but to more success. Jalen Coker made a terrific toe tap catch on a back shoulder to bring the Panthers to the doorstep of the red zone. A few plays later, Rico Dowdle jump cut through the line and powered just to the goal line to put the Panthers up 7-0.
The Saints moved the ball a little bit on their next drive and were going to attempt a 4th and 4 just across midfield, but they were backed up by a false start. They punted. The Panthers got a first down off a nifty submarine pass from Bryce Young, but the drive went nowhere because of a personal foul by Ikem Ekwonu. The quarter ended with the Panthers set to punt.
The punt landed in the coffin corner and backed the Saints up inside the five. The drive yo-yoed up the field with penalties by both teams. It took forever, but the Saints eventually scored on a Devin Neal run. They were helped by a couple of highlights catches by Devaughn Vele and Juwan Johnson.
The Panthers worked the ball across midfield, where they set themselves up with a 4th and 2. As was the case against the Rams, the Panthers went to the air. Young found Tetairoa McMillan who had found a void in the zone. He scampered to the 21 yard line. A couple plays later, Young tried to find McMillan on a post route, but the ball was just a bit behind him and was deflected away. Carolina settled for a Ryan Fitzgerald field goal that squeezed just inside the upright.
The Panthers got the ball to start the second half. They got a big play on a ball Young chucked up to a wide open Xavier Legette. They got another first down pickup when Chuba Hubbard bobbed and weaved through the defense on a screen pass. They were backed up by a hold on Taylor Morton, but it ultimately didn’t matter. Young threw a rainbow that Jalen Coker was able to run underneath to put the Panthers up 17-7.
The Saints matriculated up the field in large part thanks to a handful of Panthers penalties, many of which were rather dubious in nature, including a pass interference on Jaycee Horn in which Tyler Shough threw the ball about 25 yards away from the intended receiver. The drive finally ended with back to back sacks that forced a Saints field goal.
It looked like the ensuing drive was going to start in Saints territory, but Trevor Etienne’s return was called back for an illegal formation. The third quarter ended with the Panthers facing a third and medium.
