Instant analysis: Carolina Panthers need another comeback, get it vs. Eagles

Instant analysis from the Carolina Panthers’ 21-17 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Offense does just enough

The Carolina Panthers came back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win Sunday’s game, but before that, the offense looked pretty discombobulated.

Carolina’s first three drives resulted in 29 total yards of offense. Quarterback Cam Newton opened the game 1 for 5, with his one completion a five-yard pass to Christian McCaffrey

Carolina’s biggest first-half play was a 34-yard reverse to Jarius Wight, which featured Newton as a lead blocker.

The Panthers ended the half with just 83 yards of offense and were 0 for 4 on third down. The Panthers didn’t convert a third down until their first series of the second half, during which Newton rumbled for a 14-yard gain.

Newton was 9 of 17 for 68 yards through the third quarter, and rushed for 38 yards on three carries.

And like last week, the Panthers had to play from a 17-0 deficit. But this time, they only had one quarter to try to do it.

A pretty reverse play to wide receiver Curtis Samuel put Carolina on the board early in the first quarter. On his following series, Newton had six straight completions, including a 28-yard deep strike to Jarius Wright, and a touchdown pass to Devin Funchess. Carolina converted for two more to come within three points.

Newton drove downfield again with less than four minutes to play.

At the goal line, a play-action fake opened up tight end Greg Olsen for a 1-yard touchdown toss, and just like that, the Panthers led by four with less than two minutes to play.

Drive-killing penalties a thorn in Panthers’ side

Three penalties, totaling 20 yards, killed two consecutive Carolina drives in the second and third quarters.

Both times, the penalties knocked the Panthers out of field goal range.

In the second quarter, the Panthers sent out their kicking team on fourth and 5 on a 39-yard attempt into winds that had been recorded at 19 miles per hour.

But a false start by Trai Turner pushed kicker Graham Gano back to a 44-yard attempt, which went wide right. Carolina got flagged on the kick for another false start, this time by Efe Obada.

Then in the third quarter, Gano was ready to line up for a 51-yard attempt. But after a long discussion, the referees threw a late flag to call intentional grounding on Newton on the previous play. Newton tried to plead his case, to no avail.

Down 17 through three quarters, Carolina came back within three points late in the fourth quarter. If the Panthers had been able to kick — and make — the prior field goals, they would have had a three-point lead with 4:02 left to play. Instead, they still trailed.

Defensive stand

Last week in a loss at Washington, the Panthers gave up 84 yards and a touchdown to tight ends.

On Sunday, Philadelphia’s tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert combined for 12 catches, 177 yards and a touchdown as the fourth quarter began.

Corner James Bradberry also missed on a long ball to Alshon Jeffery in the first quarter, and then on a Jeffery touchdown.

Philadelphia appeared to throw everything they could at Carolina’s linebacker to contain Luke Kuechly. Kuechly was blocked on a couple of chunk plays in the intermediate of the field and smacked on a blitz attempt.

Elsewhere, missed tackles continued to plague the Panthers.

Philadelphia’s screen work gouged Carolina in the first quarter. And quarterback Carson Wentz was 27 for 31 with 301 yards and two touchdowns with eight minutes left in the game, including a stretch of 15 straight completions.

The Panthers were solid against the run, holding the Eagles to 50 rushing yards with under seven minutes to play. But on a third down and 2 in the red zone with the clock running in the second quarter, Philadelphia was able to convert.

The Eagles were also 3 for 3 on fourth down by the time the fourth quarter began.

But on the final drive, the Panthers held.

After Bradberry was flagged for a 48-yard pass interference penalty with 1:11 left, safety Eric Reid appeared to pick off Wentz, but the call was overturned.

Wes Horton strip-sacked Wentz on fourth down and defensive tackle Kyle Love recovered it, and the Panthers’ comeback victory was sealed.

This story was originally published October 21, 2018 at 4:11 PM.