Cards Drop Panthers to 1-3
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Carolina Panthers fell to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday 26-10, dropping their record to 1-3 on the young season.
After a quick defensive stop to begin the game, the Panthers' offense put the defense in a tough spot by failing to convert a 4th & 1 on their own side of the field. Running back Christian McCaffrey was blown up in the backfield for a loss of four, giving Arizona prime field position at the Carolina 39.
Luckily for head coach Matt Rhule, the gamble didn't come back to haunt them as the defense stepped up and kept Arizona off the board. The Cardinals moved the ball down inside the 10 and on 4th and inches, Brian Burns ate up Rondale Moore on a jet sweep.
Through the first three weeks of the season, Carolina's defense carried a lot of the weight and that was no different in today's game. Frankie Luvu, who is in his first year as a full-time starter, is becoming a menace for opposing teams. Early in the second quarter, he made a terrific tackle in space on the elusive Kyler Murray, and then on the very next play, Luvu picked off Murray and took it to the house for the first points of the game.
Carolina's defense forced another turnover on downs on Arizona's next offensive possession but had some help thanks to a snap that sailed over the head of Murray. Four plays later, the Panthers gave the ball right back as Rashard Higgins fumbled on what was going to be a double reverse which was recovered by Ben Niemann. Arizona capitalized on the turnover with a 33-yard field goal from Matt Prater.
Baker Mayfield executed the two-minute drive to perfection with a pair of completions to tight end Tommy Tremble for a combined 23 yards and then a quick out to DJ Moore set up Eddy Pineiro for a 54-yard field goal. Carolina took a 10-3 lead into the locker room.
Following a three and out by the Panthers to open up the second half, the Cardinals managed to knot the game up. A defensive pass interference on CJ Henderson placed the ball at the Carolina six, aiding the Cardinals to their first touchdown of the evening which came via a two-yard pass from Murray to Zach Ertz.
In lieu of the Panthers' offense sputtering (7 plays, 12 yards in 3rd quarter), Carolina opted to attempt a fake punt pass. Johnny Hekker scanned the field and found a wide-open Sam Franklin Jr. for the first down, but the play was negated by a penalty for an illegal man downfield (Damien Wilson).
Murray showed off his dual-threat ability by rushing for 29 yards and throwing for 39 yards on a 15-play, nine-and-a-half-minute scoring drive that gave Arizona its first lead of the game. Matt Prater's field goal sailed through the uprights from 39 yards out.
Baker Mayfield threw his second interception of the day on the first play of the ensuing drive. The pass was tipped up into the air at the line of scrimmage by J.J. Watt and picked by Dennis Gardeck, who returned it to the five. Moments later, Kyler Murray scampered his way into the end zone on a four-yard rush, pushing Arizona's lead to 20-10.
The dagger came around the nine-minute mark of the fourth quarter when Baker Mayfield nearly threw another interception and then two plays later, had his pass knocked down at the line of scrimmage on 4th and 1. Murray dropped one into tight coverage to Marquise Brown for a 23-yard score.
It wasn't the prettiest of drives, but Mayfield and the Carolina offense finally found the end zone with a touchdown pass to McCaffrey. The two-point conversion failed, keeping it at a two-score game, 26-16.
The Panthers will conclude the three-game homestand next Sunday against another NFC West foe, the San Francisco 49ers. Kickoff is slated for 4:25 p.m. EST.
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