Carolina Panthers Pull Out Victory Over Colts
The Carolina Panthers remained undefeated on the season by winning a game under the new overtime rules against the Indianapolis Colts. Not too long ago the Panthers would have been sunk by the ageless Adam Vinateri in sudden death with no recourse.
Of course we don’t play into those times anymore. The final score reads 29-26 on Graham Gano’s 52 yard game winner. It was a sloppy game, and a tight game. Emotions swirled back and forth between the two sidelines with the ebb and flow of the rain.
Here are some lessons from the Panthers’ victory:
1. It takes Heart
There is no single Panther who turned the tide or restored order in this game. It was a team effort. Whether it was good defense played by Kurt Coleman and Charles Tillman, key catches by Greg Olsen, Jonathan Stewart’s plunge into the end zone, or Roman Harper tipping a pass that was gathered in by Luke Kuechy, the Panthers got plays from a number of contributors and needed every one as it turned out.
2. Rain, rain, go away?
The Panthers were almost as miserable as the Colts on offense in the first half. Two turnovers got the Panthers in scoring position and the team came away with ten points early. However something about the lightening rain seemed to empower Andrew Luck in the second half. So maybe the Panthers would have preferred to play the entire game in the slop.
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3. Mike Tolbert
This was a game that seemed tailor made for Tolbert. The mud would prevent defenders from planting before attempting to tackle him. That being said, Tolbert was only heard from once. He made a key forty yard reception. That is much of the playcalling as I care to criticize.
Next: Steve Smith Out for Year
The Panthers lost Andrew Norwell early in the game. Their initial reaction was to put Chris Scott out there, but they replaced him with Silatolu by the second half. There was a marked improvement on the left side of the line as a result.
The Panthers will retain their perfect record as they prepare for their game against the 7-1 Green Bay Packers at Bank of America Stadium next weekend.