Panthers-Washington live updates: Cam Newton has 3 TDs in a Carolina loss to the WFT
It’s been 801 days since Cam Newton started a game for the Carolina Panthers but the hiatus ended today.
Facing his former coach Ron Rivera for the first time, Newton will walk onto the field as the Panthers’ starting quarterback when Carolina hosts the Washington Football Team at 1 p.m.
Newton is 32 and not quite as spry as he was when he won MVP 2015, but he showed last week in a limited role that he still has the ability to play in the NFL. Newton was the backup for the Panthers in last week’s 34-10 win at Arizona, completing 3 of 4 passes for 8 yards and a touchdown and running for a score on his first touch of the game.
The Observer will have six journalists at today’s Washington-Panthers game in Charlotte, including beat reporters Jonathan M. Alexander and Ellis Williams, and columnist Scott Fowler. Follow along here for live updates throughout the game (refresh the page for the latest) and stick with CharlotteObserver.com for expanded coverage after.
Live updates have concoluded for this event. For immediate recap and analysis, click here.
What’s the Panthers score right now?
Cam Newton sacked to end the game
The Washington defense ends the storybook return of Cam Newton to Carolina with a sack on fourth doal near midfield with just over a minute to play, and the Panthers trailing by 6. The WFT will keel this out to earn a 27-21 win over the Panthers in Carolina.
Joey Slye kicks another FG: WFT 27, Panthers 21
After a bizarre sequence that saw Carolina burn a timeout to decide on a fourth-down play — and then fail to convert on that fourth-down play by less than a foot, the Washington offense stalled deep in Carolina territory again. Joey Slye kicked his second FG in as many tries in the final five minutes, but the lead is now just six. Panthers get the ball back with 1:50 to play, no timeouts, from their own 25.
Joey Slye FG for WFT: Washington 24, Panthers 21
Washington was threatening to do to Carolina what it did last week to Tom Brady and the Bucs, with a long, drawn out, fourth-quarter scoring drive to bleed the clock dry before scoring. But a pair of incomplete passes brought up fourth down and, even after a penalty to Carolina made it 4th-and-2, Ron Rivera still schose to settle for a FG by former Panthers kicker Joey Slye. He was good on the chip shot to put WFT ahead.
Newton to McCaffrey TD: Panthers 21, Washington 21
Cam Newton has tossed his second TD of the day (to go with his rishing TD from earlier), this time finding star RB Christian McCaffrey up the right seam for a 27-yard TD. Newton had time and delivered a bullet to McCaffrey’s outstretched arms. The RB hauled it in and took a few steps untouched into the end zone.
This all came after a lengthy review following a trick play that saw Newton hand to McCaffrey, McCaffrey throw back to Newton and then Newton find TE Tommy Tremble up the left sideline. At issue was a possible fumble by Tremble, and a possible forward pass from McCaffrey on the throw back.
Panthers defensive stand
With Washington driving — again — into Carolina territory, Hasson Reddick came up with a huge sack on second down to force a 3rd-and-long, and then WFT took a delay of game penalty to set up 3rd-and-21. After a marginal gain, Washington lined up with an intent to go for it on fourth down from the Panthers 39, but thought better of it.
Washington also though better of allowing former Carolina kicker Joey Slye to try a 56-yard FG, too, and punted the ball back to the Panthers. Big defensive stop at the end of the third quarter for the defense.
A lead for Taylor Heinicke and co.: WFT 21, Panthers 14
Taylor Heinicke found DeAndre Carter just over the goal line after a methodical start to the second half for the WFT. Washington marched 66 yards on 10 plays, and it took 5:39 off the clock. It feels like the Panthers’ offense has been on ice for about a half hour.
McLaurin TD for WFT: Panthers 14, Washington 14
On a buzzer-beating drive that ate a ton of clock for Washington, Taylor Heinicke found Terry McLaurin in the end zone for a leaping, acrobatic catch as the WFT tied the game with nine seconds remaining. The highlight of the drive for Washington was a fourth-down conversion from about 5 yards after a false start penalty had wiped out 4th-and-inches.
Cam Newton rushing TD: Panthers 14, Washington 7
Cam Newton rushes for a 24-yard TD, runs to midfield, puts the ball on the Panthers logo and does the Superman celebration. He is locked in, and has now accounted for both Panthers TDs on the afternoon.
Heinicke TD pass ties it: Panthers 7, Washington 7
Taylor Heinicke threads the needle to Cam Sims on an inside slant to the end zone, and it got in by hair. Washington ties the game on the extra point.. The Football Team actually finishes a drive. Big play on the sequence was a Heinicke toss to the left sideline at the first-quarter buzzer to Terry McLaurin.
Panthers force WFT fumble
With 3:03 to play in the first quarter, Washington was picking the Panthers apart in slow chunks, aided by penalties and big gains. Then, the Panthers’ defense went to work. Antonio Gibson fumbled, forced by Morgan Fox, and it’s recovered by Frankie Luvu. Panthers taking over at their own 10-yard line.
Cam Newton TD: Panthers 7, Washington 0
On the Panthers’ first drive of the game, they converted a fourth down from midfield and had Cam Newton throw his first touchdown pass in Bank of America Stadium since 2019.
On first and goal from the 10, Newton faked a QB draw, running toward the line of scrimmage after receiving the shotgun snap before pulling up and slinging a bullet to DJ Moore in the back of the end zone to give Carolina the early edge.
Coin toss
Washington wins the toss and defers to the second half. The Panthers will receive the opening kickoff, going left to right across your screen in the first quarter.
Who’s inactive for the Panthers vs WFT game?
Panthers: WR Shi Smith, S Kenny Robinson, CB Rashaan Melvin, DT Phil Hoskins, QB Matt Barkley.
Washington: WR Curtis Samuel, WR Antonio Gandy-Golden, CB Corn Elder, DE Shaka Toney, T Saahdiq Charles, TE Ricky Seals-Jones.
Is Cam Newton starting today?
Cam Newton will make his first start for the Carolina Panthers since Week 2 of the 2019 season. (A rainy loss at home on Thursday Night Football against Tampa Bay.)
Newton hasn’t started an NFL game since last season when he played for the New England Patriots. His eight snaps (and two touchdowns accounted for) last week as a backup to PJ Walker were his first taste of professional football since.
The Panthers re-signed Newton as a free agent Nov. 11, bringing him back to the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2011 before eventually cutting him in March 2020.
What channel is the Panthers-Washington game on?
Sunday’s 1 p.m. kickoff between the Carolina Panthers and Washington Football Team at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte is being broadcast on FOX. If you’re watching in Charlotte, that means WJZY-Fox 46. The Panthers-WFT game can be streamed online with a subscription to YouTube TV or Hulu+ Live TV, so long as you are viewing from inside the broadcast footprint — a map of which can be found below via 506 Sports.
This story was originally published November 21, 2021 at 11:30 AM.
