Colts Sneak Past Panthers in Preseason Opener

INDIANAPOLIS - The Carolina Panthers took the field for the first time in the 2021 season and boy, it sure looked like it. Both the Panthers and Colts had their moments of sloppy play which is to be expected in the first preseason game and with the majority of players on the field being 2nd and 3rd stringers. In the first half alone, Carolina had seven penalties, four of which were false starts (two by Trent Scott).

P.J. Walker earned the starting nod under center and led the Panthers right down the field on the first offensive series of the game. On the fourth play of the drive, Walker had to escape a collapsing pocket and threw a dart on the run to rookie wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. who burst down the sideline for a 60-yard gain. The Colts' defense would limit the damage to just a field goal as Joey Slye chipped one in from 29 yards. Walker went 4/5 on the opening drive for 94 yards.

The Colts aired it out on their second possession and picked on 2nd-year corner Stanley Thomas-Oliver III on the first three attempts before chucking a deep ball to Paris Campbell for a gain of 37. Moments later, the Colts tied the game up on a 34-yard field goal off the right foot of Rodrigo Blankenship.

After a three and out by the Panthers offense, Indianapolis gave the ball right back and in tremendous field position. Marquis Haynes won his battle with left tackle Will Holden and came up with the strip-sack of Jacob Eason. Haynes recovered the ball at the Indianapolis 14-yard line. Despite a short field, Carolina was unable to work their way into the end zone and had to settle for another Joey Slye field goal.

Midway through the 2nd quarter, Colts head coach Frank Reich elected to keep the offense on the field to convert a 4th and 1. The Panthers' defense brought the pressure and linebacker Frankie Luvu chased down Eason for the sack, giving Carolina possession in plus territory once again. Unfortunately, the offense went three and out again and Slye snuck one in from 41 yards to extend the lead, 9-3.

On the Panthers' ensuing drive, rookie running back Chuba Hubbard put his explosiveness on display. The play appeared to have been stopped behind the line of scrimmage but Hubbard bounced it outside and took off for a 59-yard scamper.

How Chubbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbba?!

📺: NFLN & WSOC pic.twitter.com/qJUYzqswqd
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) August 15, 2021

Following the big run by Hubbard, the Panthers were flagged for back-to-back false starts but quickly erased that with a 26-yard pickup through the air from Walker to Shi Smith. With just seconds remaining before the two-minute warning, Walker flushed out to the right and found tight end Tommy Tremble in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.

Head coach Matt Rhule said the play wasn't even supposed to happen.

"We were calling one thing and he heard another through the headset so he ended up calling that play. It was the wrong play but he just ran around and found a way to make a play. It was right before the two-minute warning, so we were just trying to get them to jump offsides, take it to the two-minute, go to the end of the half."

Instead of kicking the PAT, Rhule wanted the offense to stay on the field and go for two to make it 17-3. Hubbard rushed in for the conversion but it was called back on a hold by Tremble, forcing Carolina to send out Slye.

Indianapolis continued to push the ball down the field late in the first half and were not content going into the half trailing by two scores. Eason connected with Michael Strachan for 32 yards and then found Quartney Davis for a 14 yard gain a couple of plays later. However, 15 more yards would be added on as Kenny Robinson was flagged for lowering his head to initiate contact. Running back Jordan Wilkins punched one in from three yards out to make it a 15-10 game at the half.

After one half in the books, P.J. Walker's day was done as he was relieved by Will Grier to kick off the third quarter. Carolina went three and out with the new unit in but once again, the defense stepped up and made a big play. Colts 3rd string QB Same Ehlinger made a bad decision and threw the ball into traffic which was picked off by Kenny Robinson. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady tried to establish the run game with Spencer Brown and the Colts defense did a good job of containing him. On 4th and 2 at the Indianapolis 20, the Panthers handed the ball off to Brown once again but was stuff two yards behind the line of scrimmage resulting in a turnover on downs.

Early in the 4th quarter, Carolina went three and out once again but thanks to a special teams gaffe, the Panthers regained possession of the ball on the punt. Long snapper Thomas Fletcher, who the team drafted in the 6th round, fell on top of the ball once it fell out of Isaiah Rodgers' hands. Slye would add three more points after the Panthers failed to reach the end zone once again.

Sam Ehlinger swiftly marched the Colts down the field thanks to a pair of chunk plays - a 47-yard pass to Tarik Black and a 25-yarder to Tyler Vaughns both of which were in the direction of Troy Pride Jr. Pride was injured on the play to Vaughns and did not return. Former UNC-Charlotte running back found the end zone from one yard out on the next play. The Colts then tied up the game as Ehlinger rushed in the two-point conversion.

With a little over seven minutes remaining in the game, the Panthers were hoping to bleed some clock and take the lead. Once they got it to 3rd and 2, Carolina was called for not one, not two, but three consecutive false starts (two by Martez Ivey). On 3rd and forever, Grier stepped up in the pocket and threw a pass over the middle of the field to Micah Simon but was a tad too high, forcing a punt.

The Colts milked the clock as they maneuvered their way down the field which set up Eddy Pineiro for the game-winning field goal. The Colts took the 21-18 lead with just seven seconds remaining.

Grier found Stephen Sullivan for a 10-yard pass on the final play of the day and a bad toss from Sullivan back to Grier, which ended the Panthers' hopes for a miracle ending with the ball being recovered by Ben Banogu of the Colts.

Carolina will return home to Bank of America Stadium on August 21st to play host to the Baltimore Ravens for their 2nd preseason game. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EST.

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