CHARLOTTE (CHARLOTTE SPORTS LIVE) — It came down to every last for the Panthers on Sunday. The Panthers weren’t able to spike the ball in time to stop the clock to give Eddy Pineiro a chance at a game-tying field goal and lost by three.
This is the first time the Panthers scored 30 points in a game this season and only the second time for the Packers.
The Panthers couldn’t capitalize on an early roughing the kicker penalty that gave them a fresh set of downs. The Packers made the pay with a seven-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run from AJ Dillon.
The Panthers would respond with a six-play, 35-yard drive that set up Eddy Pineiro for a 52-yard field goal that cut the lead to 7-3.
The Packers’ run game was strong in the first half, and on the first play of the second quarter, Jordan Love punched in a one-yard QB sneak. A missed extra point made the score 13-3.
Carolina got the run game going themselves. 41 yards of their eight-play, 77-yard drive came on the ground. A 20-yard end around to Ihmir Smith-Marsette closed the gap to 13-10.
The Packers scored on their next two drives (a field goal and touchdown respectively) while the Panthers were stagnant on offense. Green Bay took a 23-10 lead into halftime.
On the Panthers’ first drive of the second half, it took them more than eight minutes to go 72 yards in 14 plays, but it was all worth it when Chubba Hubbard muscled his way into the endzone for a four-yard score to close the lead to 23-16.
The Packers responded with a touchdown drive of their own that ended with a five-yard pass to Romeo Doubs on the first play of the fourth quarter. That gave the Packers a 30-16 lead.
The Panthers wouldn’t go away and after forcing the Packers to punt after a 3-and-out, they went 60 yards and scored with an 11-yard pass to DJ Chark. Tabor elected to go for the 2-point conversion, however, a holding penalty backed him up, forcing them to try for one point, but it was wide left. Instead of being down seven, the Panthers were down 30-22 with about seven minutes left.
For the first time in the game, the Panthers forced the Packers to punt on back-to-back drives. The offense would quickly take advantage and five plays later scored with a 10-yard pass to DJ Chark. Raheem Blackshear would punch in the 2-point attempt to tie the game 30-30 with 4:05 to go.
A wild last drive for the Packers ended with a 32-yard field goal with 19 seconds left and that would be enough to get them the win.
The Panthers’ next game is Sunday against the Jaguars in Jacksonville at 1 p.m.
