Panthers beat Saints, earn first win in nearly a year behind solid special teams play
Entering Sunday, the Panthers were the only team in the NFL yet to force a turnover.
That changed when Carolina linebacker Frankie Luvu stripped Saints running back Alvin Kamara early in the first quarter. Defensive end Marquis Haynes quickly scooped up the ball and ran 44 untouched yards into the end zone, scoring the game’s first points.
For a fanbase that has not experienced a win in 371 days, Bank of America Stadium went nuts.
“We take pride in knocking the football out. All week we were practicing to do that,” Luvu said. “Kamara was leaning and kind of had the ball up. So I was right there at the right time and felt the ball come lose.”
Luvu sparked a Panthers’ defensive avalanche that spread to the special teams. Carolina’s defense and special teams had to carry the Panthers to a 22-14 win. Carolina blocked a field goal, forced another missed field goal, sacked quarterback Jameis Winston once, hit him six times, intercepted him twice and scored a defensive touchdown on Sunday.
The Panthers defense also held star running back Alvin Kamara to 61 rushing yards on 15 carries. The Saints offense only gained 84 yards on the ground.
“We challenged our defense to not only get the ball but to score,” Panthers coach Matt Rhule said. “That unleashed the spirit of the defense. I think the defense heard all week about not getting takeaways.
“When I look back at the game holding them to 84 yards rushing was the key to the game.”
Quarterback Baker Mayfield had an underwhelming performance. He completed 12-of-25 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers (who entered Sunday 31st in third-down conversion passes) went 4 for 14 on third down and turned it over on downs once.
Mayfield nearly doubled his passing yards when newcomer Laviska Shenault took a 5-yard swing pass 67 yards to the end zone early in the fourth quarter. Shenault caught a short pass, made Saints cornerback Dwayne Washington miss a tackle and accelerated by everyone to score.
“I feel so good,” Shenault said. “I haven’t found the end zone in a minute, let’s just say that. That felt great.”
Shenault had his coming out party after being a healthy inactive through the Panthers’ first two games. Carolina traded a 2023 sixth-round pick and a 2024 seventh-round pick to Jacksonville for the third-year receiver (and former second-round pick) prior to Week 1.
He essentially ended the game by converting a third-and-15 with a 21-yard catch-and-run. He finished with two grabs for 90 yards and a touchdown
His score put Carolina up 12 points with 12:13 to play. On the Saints next series, defensive tackle Derrick Brown made a diving, one-handed interception after cornerback Jaycee Horn tipped Winston’s pass in the air. Seven plays later, Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro made his third kick of the afternoon from 34 yards out that put Carolina up 15.
Carolina generated its first turnover on the Saints second possession. Luvu violently ripped the ball away from Kamara before Haynes plucked it up. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound defensive end raced to the end as if he was trying out for the kickoff team.
Luvu and Haynes bailed defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos out for a unnecessary roughing the passer penalty the prior play. Gross-Matos tossed Winston to the ground after he threw the ball away, which extended the Saints’ drive.
The offense struggled all game. Before Shenult’s score, Mayfield had 76 yards passing through three quarters. The team still does not know how to easily get running back Christian McCaffrey receptions. The All-Pro talent finished with 108 yards on 25 carries. He caught two passes for 7 yards.
Panthers receivers DJ Moore and Robbie Anderson were an afterthought. They notched a combined two catches for 16 yards on 10 targets.
“The third downs are completely on me, just with ball location,” Mayfield said. “I’m going to look back at the tape and not be happy about how I played obviously.”
The Panthers special teams had their best game. Punter Johnny Hekker was active, booming several deep kicks into New Orleans territory. Shenault also had multiple 20-plus yard kick returns.
Defensive end Henry Anderson blocked a 46-yard field-goal attempt with 2:46 left in the second quarter. The block proved pivotal as it would’ve cut the Panthers’ lead to 10 points prior to halftime. Safety Jeremy Chinn had an 11-yard sack the play prior to Anderson’s block.
The Saints pulled within eight when Winston and the offense marched 90 yards in three plays with about three minutes to play. Winston completed passes of 38 and 48 yards on the drive, capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass to Marquez Callaway.
But the Saints had no timeouts and Panthers recovered the ensuing onside kick. Carolina ran a few plays before punting to New Orleans with 12 seconds to play. Horn intercepted Winston with eight seconds left before Mayfield and the Panthers offense ended the game in victory formation.
The Panthers are undefeated in NFC South play.
“That was the message all last week that we needed to get turnovers,” Horn said. “We started it off early with a strip, taking it back for a touchdown. And like we said, we knew they were going to keep coming.”
This story was originally published September 25, 2022 at 4:30 PM.
