Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman (24) breaks up the pass intended for Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (13) during the fourth quarter of their NFL game on Monday. Carolina defeated Indianapolis 29-26 in overtime. Picture: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Reuters/Indianapolis
Carolina kicker Graham Gano atoned for a missed extra point by kicking a game-winning 52-yard field goal in overtime as the Panthers stayed unbeaten by defeating the Indianapolis Colts 29-26 on Monday.
After the teams traded overtime field goals, Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly’s interception of Andrew Luck gave the Panthers the ball at the Colts’ 39 in the sudden-death portion of the extra session and Gano did the rest.
The Colts had earlier wiped out a 17-point deficit in the last 7:04 of regulation as Luck suddenly got untracked before Adam Vinatieri’s 50-yard field goal on the opening possession of overtime put the visitors in position for an unlikely win.
The Panthers matched it when Gano connected on a 42-yard field goal at a rainy Bank of America Stadium.
The Carolina possession included a dropped pass by wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr that would have, at the very least, taken the ball inside the 10-yard line.
Quarterback Cam Newton clicked on a couple of second-half drives, putting Carolina 23-6 up before the Colts came storming back.
Newton threw two touchdown passes in less than a five-minute span as the Panthers continued their best start in franchise history by improving to 7-0.
Still trailing 23-20, the Colts regained possession at their own 40 with 2:02 remaining and out of timeouts. Luck’s next three passes were incomplete before a fourth-down conversion. After that, the Colts moved methodically to the six-yard line.
Vinatieri’s 24-yard field goal tied the game on the last play of regulation, completing a 16-play possession.
Gano’s missed extra point proved costly following Carolina’s last touchdown.
Carolina has won a franchise-record 11 consecutive regular-season games dating to last season. The Panthers have matched last year’s regular-season victory total when they went 7-8-1, which was good enough to win the NFC South.
Newton finished 16-of-35 for 248 yards. He was picked off once.
Luck completed 23-of-47 passes for 232 yards for the Colts (3-5), who lost their third game in a row. Through three quarters, he had only 40 passing yards and was intercepted twice.
