The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lutz’s kick gets Saints by Panthers
NEW ORLEANS — Saints quarterback Drew Brees, receiver Michael Thomas and kicker Wil Lutz celebrated a decisive string of lategame successes that put New Orleans on the cusp of a third straight NFC South crown.
The Carolina Panthers could only lament the first-and-goal they squandered just moments earlier in a third straight loss that has placed their playoff prospects in jeopardy.
Lutz kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired, and New Orleans beat Carolina 34-31 on Sunday to take a four-game lead in the NFC South with five games left.
“It’s exciting. It’s butterflies. But also, it’s confidence,” said Brees, who led the Saints from their own 14-yard line with 1:51 left to the Carolina 15 with three seconds remaining. “It’s unity. You feel like everybody knows the challenge ahead. Everybody knows what we need to do in order to accomplish whatever it is we need to accomplish to go win the game. Everybody just kind of locks in and goes.”
Lutz’s second game-winning kick this season capped a contest filled with late momentum shifts and critical errors — none bigger than Carolina kicker Joey Slye’s missed field goal from 28 yards with two minutes left.
Carolina trailed from early in the first quarter until 9:23 remained in the fourth quarter, when D.J. Moore reached up with his right hand to corral a fourth-and-goal pass in the back of the end zone to tie it at 31.
Soon after, Panthers safety Eric Reid stuffed Alvin Kamara on fourthand-1 from the New Orleans 45. That set up a dramatic sequence in which Carolina coach Ron Rivera successfully challenged officials’ decision not to call pass interference on a third-down incomplete pass, giving Carolina a first down on the 3 with 2:21 left.
Christian McCaffrey’s run was stuffed, Kyle Allen threw incomplete on second down and Allen was sacked on third down by Marcus Davenport, setting the stage for the end of a difficult day for Slye, who’d also missed two extrapoint kicks.
“I feel terrible,” Slye said. “We needed this win.”
Brees finished 30 of 39 for 311 yards and three touchdowns but also was intercepted by Tre Boston, a play that helped Carolina come back in the fourth quarter. Michael Thomas had 10 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown for New Orleans (9-2), including receptions of 14 and 24 yards on the game-winning drive.
“We work that situation week in and week out, and it always comes up to benefit us,” Thomas said of the Saints’ hurry-up offense.
Allen passed for 256 yards and three TDs for Carolina (5-6), which saw its playoff hopes pushed to the brink.
“It is incredibly frustrating,” Allen said. “Some weeks it’s been offense, some weeks it’s been defense. We’ve just got to put it together and play a complete game.”
McCaffrey had 133 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage on a balance of runs and receptions. Moore had six catches for 126 yards and two TDs, the first a 51-yarder.
Saints tight end Jared Cook had six catches for 99 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown, and running back Latavius Murray scored the game’s first TD on a 26-yard run.