NEW ORLEANS — Eddy Pineiro kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired, and the Carolina Panthers closed out their season with an opportunistic 10-7 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
The Saints finished with some wide statistical advantages, outgaining Carolina 304 yards to 203, but the game remained tight until the end because of New Orleans’ inability to score on four possessions inside the Panthers 40-yard line.
The Saints (7-10) were in position to win when safety Daniel Sorensen intercepted Sam Darnold near midfield and returned it to the Carolina 35 with 1:36 to go. But New Orleans failed to move the ball on three plays and Wil Lutz missed a 55-yard field goal attempt — his second miss of the game.
Darnold then moved Carolina (7-10) into field goal range with a first-down scramble, followed by just his fifth completion of the game — a 21 yarder to former LSU receiver Terrace Marshall Jr.
Darnold finished 5 of 15 for 43 yards and was intercepted twice, winning despite having a quarterback rating of 2.8. But the Panthers rushed for 171 yards, led by Chuba Hubbard’s 69 yards on 21 carries.
Carolina scored its only TD on a fumble by Darnold that was recovered in the end zone by Panthers lineman Michael Jordan.
New Orleans’ Andy Dalton was 15 of 25 for 171 yards and one touchdown to Chris Olave. Alvin Kamara rushed for 107 yards.
The Saints took a 7-0 lead on Olave’s 25-yard touchdown catch on the game’s opening drive, but New Orleans squandered three subsequent scoring chances in the opening half.
Lutz missed a 44-yard field goal attempt. Kamara’s run was stuffed on fourth and 1. And after Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu intercepted Darnold near the goal line, New Orleans turned it back over when Olave fumbled inside the Carolina 25-yard line.
The Panthers, who’d been outgained 234 yards to 60 in the first half, opened the second half with a 14-play, 82-yard drive to tie it at 7 on Jordan’s recovery.
EJECTED
Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman and Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport each were ejected in the third quarter for throwing punches after the whistle, moments after Davenport had tackles Foreman for no gain. Foreman had 12 carries for 67 yards. Davenport was in on three tackles.
INJURIES
Panthers: Marquis Haynes appeared to hurt his ankle in the first half. Left tackle Brady Christensen was taken to the locker room on a cart in the first half.
Saints: Rookie offensive tackle Trevor Penning, getting his first career start, limped off with an apparent leg injury with 1:33 to go.
UP NEXT
Panthers: Begin the offseason with uncertainty over who’ll be the coach in 2023 and a decision to make about whether to stick with Darnold at QB.
Saints: Head into first-year coach Dennis Allen’s first full offseason with six offensive and defensive starters, as well as several regulars on all three units, entering free agency. The club’s future at QB also is uncertain.
(WATCH BELOW: ‘Breaking my heart’: Panthers return to practice after Damar Hamlin’s collapse)
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