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Cardiac Cats: Olsen scores game-winner as Panthers claw to victory

By Danny Jaillet

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 21: Quarterback Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles is sacked by linebacker Luke Kuechly #59 of the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on October 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The play was reviewed. The Carolina Panthers won 21-17. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 21: Quarterback Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles is sacked by linebacker Luke Kuechly #59 of the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on October 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The play was reviewed. The Carolina Panthers won 21-17. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
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It was not easy, but the Carolina Panthers got the job done.

Boy, what a fun game that was. After falling behind early, the Carolina Panthers stormed back to beat the Philadelphia Eagles by a 20=17 score in front of the home fans.

The first quarter was a defensive battle. Honestly, it was kind of the way I thought the game would start out. Both defenses did not want to give an inch, and they did a nice job of doing so. If there was one positive offensively for the Panthers in that quarter, it was Christian McCaffrey. He rushed the ball four times for 25 yards.

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The second frame opened up the scoring a bit, but not in the way Panthers fans wanted it to. Alshon Jeffrey got on the board first. Catching an 11-yard strike from the arm of Carson Wentz, that ended a seven-play, 74-yard drive and gave the Eagles the early lead. After a quiet first quarter, the second quarter was basically the same way.  The only scoring play in the quarter was when Jake Elliott kicked a 46-yard field goal to give the Eagles a 10-0 lead heading into the locker rooms.

Dallas Godert would extend the lead in the third quarter as he caught a one-yard pass from Wentz, making it 17-0 in favor of the Eagles. Other than the touchdown, it was a defensive battle in the quarter. If the Panthers wanted to make a comeback in the fourth quarter, they would have to put together a ferocious, complete effort. They would do just that.

That lead would disappear quickly as the Panthers began to cut into the deficit. Curtis Samuel would play the role of running back as he took the ball from 14 yards out to make it a 17-6 game. That capped off a 11-play 80-yard drive. Devin Funchess would get into the act next as at the 4:08 mark in the quarter, he caught an 18-yard pass from Newton to make it a 17-12 game. Jarius Wright would convert the two-point conversion to make it a 17-14 game.

The game-winning score seemed all too fitting. After debating whether he would be able to play at all this season, Greg Olsen returned on Sunday. Not only that, he would return in a big way.  A 10-play, 69 yard drive took all of 55 seconds as Olsen found the back of the endzone to complete the comeback and give the Panthers a 20-17 win.

Newton finished 25-of-39 on the day, throwing for 269 yards and two touchdowns. He also was the leading rusher in this game, carrying the rock seven times for 49 yards. He put together a more complete effort than last week. That is something that could be said of the whole team as well.  Devin Funchess had a great game, snagging six balls for 62 yards and a touchdown.  This is the second week in a row where Funchess has looked very strong. The Panthers need him to keep it up.

The Panthers will remain in friendly confines as they take on the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday. Kickoff time is 1:00 PM.

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