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It was nearly chaos for the Carolina Panthers for the second week in a row.
A rally attempt by the Green Bay Packers fell short after the team made the game a two-possession game, 37-22, midway through the fourth quarter after once trailing by 23.
Aaron Rodgers escaped pressure and converted a 4th-and-14 to keep a drive alive that eventually resulted in a 3-yard score from tight end Richard Rodgers. With 3:43 to go, the Packers put the pressure on the Panthers offense.
And then something magical happened.
On the first play of the ensuing Panthers drive, quarterback Cam Newton threw an intended a pass for Ted Ginn Jr., but was picked off by rookie Damarious Randall at the Carolina 26. The play was reviewed to make sure Randall's feet stayed inside, with the call standing.
A 17-yard run by James Starks helped set the Packers up near the goalline with game winding down. From the Panthers nine, the Packers failed to complete three straight passes and were faced with a 4th-and-goal situation. A pressured Rodgers barely had time to throw a pass up before eventually being intercepted by linebacker Thomas Davis. The Packers needed to get into the end zone on two straight plays to tie it, and were unable to do so.
Carolina escaped with a 37-29 victory over Green Bay to move to 7-0 on the season, while the Packers dropped their second game in a row, falling to 6-2.
The Packers led 7-3 after the first quarter, but the Panthers responded with 24 unanswered points in the second. Newton accredited for all three of Carolina's touchdowns, scoring a 1-yard touchdown, and tossing two scores, one to Greg Olsen and another to Corey Brown. Newton threw four touchdowns on the day and completed 15-of-30 passes for 297 yards. He also gained 57 yards on the ground, with 23 of them coming on the Panthers' first drive that resulted in a 23-yard field goal. Newton was never sacked, either.
The Panthers totaled 427 yards this afternoon. For most of the game, everything was clicking for them on offense while controlling the Packers on defense.
The Panthers defense sacked quarterback Aaron Rodgers a total of five times and forced 23 incompletions. Rodgers rarely had time to throw in the pocket and even when he did, it was difficult for him to find an open wide receiver.
On the ground, Eddie Lacy's horrendous third season continued on Sunday. Before eventually being ruled out with a groin injury, Lacy gained just 10 yards on five carries while losing a fumble in the second quarter. The fumble was forced by Panthers safety Charles Tillman, a familiar face for the Packers offense. In 21 games versus Green Bay, Tillman has forced eight fumbles.
As a team, the Packers only gained 71 rushing yards.
This matchup was a tough one for the Packers to swallow, who have now dropped two in a row, with both of those losses coming against undefeated clubs.