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Panthers' stunning collapse began with failed 20-play drive that ended in punt
The Carolina Panthers led 17-0 in the second quarter, and 17-3 in the second half at home and appeared to have regained their winning ways. They also were back to having fun, a key element of last year’s 15-1 season for the Super Bowl runners-up.
But the Kansas City Chiefs kept chipping away at the lead, and even at 17-6 in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium that lead proved to be unsafe. There’s no question Cam Newton’s back-foot throw under pressure that was returned for an incredible pick-six by Eric Berry was a crucial mistake that cost the Panthers dearly in what would become a 20-17 loss.
That said, the Panthers also have to be kicking themselves for an unbelievable sequence on their previous possession. They orchestrated a 20-play drive. And punted. As you try to wrap your brain around how that’s even possible, consider: According to Pro Football Reference (whose drive-charting numbers go back to the start of the 1998 season), it was the longest drive by number of plays run to end in a punt. The previous mark was 16 plays.
That’s just a wild mark of futility.
Starting on their own 9-yard line, the Panthers made six first downs and flipped the field completely. They were sitting at the Kansas City 20-yard line with a chance to tack on to their 17-3 lead late in the third quarter. But a disastrous three-play span — two sacks and a 1-yard loss on a Newton run — knocked them back a whopping 20 yards. Adding insult to injury, Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones did “The Dab” after Newton had dusted it off for the first time this season. Ouch.
That sack apparently knocked them out of kicker Graham Gano’s range with what would have been a 58-yard attempt, so the Panthers punted. The 20-play drive would net a mere 51 yards.
After the touchback, the Chiefs drove 62 yards on 11 plays and kicked a field goal. Three plays later, Newton was picked by Berry, and the two-point conversion made it 17-14. That’s either a 14- or an 18-point swing there for the Panthers in less than seven game minutes. And that’s the kind of thing the Panthers simply did not have happen last season.
The Chiefs would go on to win, despite almost blowing the chance to do so.
Now they’re 3-6 and have a short week to get ready for the New Orleans Saints, whom they lost to earlier in the season. Right now, the Panthers are in last place in the NFC South and are running out of time, even with the first-place Atlanta Falcons losing Sunday. The Panthers had a chance to move within striking distance of them, but the disastrous stretch in the second half started the Chiefs’ unreal rally to win.
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
