CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers squandered a 17 point lead on their way to a 20-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Carolina entered the game riding a two game winning streak and attempting to stay in the NFC playoff picture following a 1-5 start to the season.
The Panthers drew first blood with a 42 yard field goal by Graham Gano in the first quarter. Cam Newton and the offense looked sharp, as they moved the ball consistently against the Chiefs’ defense.
Newton extended the Panthers’ lead to 10-3 with a 4-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Devin Funchess got into the scoring act by snagging a 38-yard pass from Cam Newton just before the two-minute warning in the first-half, pushing the lead to 17-0.
Those would be the last points the Panthers scored all day.
Kansas City kicker Cairo Santos made a 47-yard field goal with 10 seconds to cut Carolina’s lead to 17-3 at halftime.
The Panthers opened the second half with a 10 minute 20 play drive, but failed to turn the possession into points, as two sacks of Cam Newton pushed them out of field goal range and forced a punt.
“That drive was a big turning point in the game,” tight end Greg Olsen said.
Following an early fourth quarter field goal by Cairo Santos, Kansas City seized the momentum by forcing two turnovers. The first turnover, an interception by safety Eric Berry, was returned 42-yards in zig-zag fashion for a touchdown.
The Chiefs completed he two-point conversion to make it 17-14 in favor of the panthers.
Santos connected on another field goal with 4:22 left to play to tie the game.
After empty drives by both teams, Carolina forced a Kansas City punt with 43 seconds left. Carolina decided to try to get into field goal range rather than taking a knee and playing for overtime, and on the first play of the drive Cam Newton completed pass to Kelvin Benjamin, who had the ball ripped from his arms by Chiefs’ defensive back Marcus Peters.
The Chiefs took possession in Carolina territory and after an 11-yard run by Spencer Ware, Cairo Santos kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired to win the game for Kansas City.
After the game, Panthers’ safety Kurt Coleman summed up the action nicely saying, “They found a way. Even with the odds stacked against them, they found a way,” adding, “As a whole, we didn’t get it done today.”
The loss dropped Carolina to 3-6 on the season. The Panthers have no time to sulk, as they have a short week of preparation, before taking on New Orleans Thursday night.
