CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)
Cam Newton threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Greg Olsen late in
the third quarter Monday night, helping the Carolina Panthers take
a 17-10 lead over the New England Patriots heading into the final
period.
Newton found Olsen at the right pylon with 2:10 left for his
second touchdown pass, putting the Panthers back in front after Rob
Gronkowski's short TD catch had tied the game on the first drive of
the second half. Olsen's score capped an 81-yard drive that took
nearly 8 1/2 minutes off the clock.
Newton also found Brandon LaFell over the middle for a 9-yard
touchdown pass late in the first quarter, and Graham Gano added a
43-yard field goal with 5:02 left in the second that sent the
Panthers into the locker room with the lead for the ninth time in
10 games this year.
Gronkowski's score came on a terrific individual effort. He took
a short pass from Tom Brady, then powered his way through three
defenders to extend the ball over the goal line for the 9-yard
score.
Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 42-yard field goal for New England's
only other score. The Patriots squandered a chance for a first-half
touchdown when Stevan Ridley lost a fumble to end a drive that had
pushed inside the 15-yard line early in the second quarter.
Carolina entered the night as the NFL's No. 1 defense and didn't
disappoint early, sacking Brady twice and holding Gronkowski to one
catch for 14 yards in the opening half. The Panthers hadn't given
up a touchdown in eight straight quarters, going back to the second
half against Atlanta on Nov. 3, before Gronkowski's score.
Newton got Carolina the early lead by zipping a third-down throw
to LaFell near the goal line with 2:44 left in the first, capping a
90-yard drive that took more than 5 minutes off the clock.
The drive included a 42-yard catch by Steve Smith against
cornerback Aqib Talib, who drew a personal foul penalty when he
refused to let go of Smith's right foot after the receiver's second
catch, setting off a brief scuffle.
With the touchdown, the Panthers have outscored opponents 45-8
in the opening quarter this season. Carolina has also gone 14 games
without allowing a first-quarter touchdown.
Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson left the game early in
the third quarter with a right knee injury. His return was
questionable.
Carolina's five-game winning streak had stirred plenty of
excitement for a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game since
2005 or even reached the postseason since 2008.
The Panthers won 10-9 at reigning NFC champion San Francisco
last weekend, keeping them right behind first-place New Orleans in
the NFC South standings.
And with Brady coming to Charlotte, the stage was set for an
electric atmosphere - with Newton going so far as to say: ''We need
this more than anything. The Carolinas need this more than
anything.''
The stakes weren't quite so high for the Patriots, sitting
comfortably atop the AFC East standings. Instead, this was a chance
for Brady - who entered 13-4 in Monday night games with 41
touchdown passes and 14 interceptions - and the Patriots to emerge
from their bye week with a strong performance against one of the
league's toughest defenses.
The game marked the first time the Patriots had a full
complement of healthy weapons on offense, with the return of
third-year running back Shane Vereen to play with Gronkowski and
receiver Danny Amendola.
Vereen had been out since the opener due to a broken left wrist
that required surgery, Gronkowski missed the first six games after
offseason back and arm surgeries, while Amendola missed four games
with a concussion and groin injury.
Vereen had three catches for 21 yards in the first half.
Talib also returned for New England after missing three games
with a hip injury.