Philadelphia Eagles vs Carolina Panthers Match Player Stats On Oct 12, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 13, 2017

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carson Wentz threw three touchdown passes as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Carolina Panthers 28-23 in a matchup of NFC division leaders Thursday night at Bank of America Stadium.

Philadelphia (5-1) won its fourth game in a row and became the NFC's first five-game winner.

Wentz was 16 of 30 for 222 yards and no interceptions.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Panthers (4-2) needed to go 69 yards in 2:03 without a timeout. They reached the Philadelphia 48 before a failed fourth-and-1 pass.

Trailing by five earlier, Carolina regained possession at its 23-yard line with 5:49 left. Courtesy of a fourth-down pickup, the Panthers reached the Philadelphia 41. Three plays later, Jalen Mills intercepted Cam Newton's pass with 3:06 to play, but the Eagles ended up punting again.

Philadelphia scored on two drives of less than 20 yards after Carolina turnovers, then drove 75 yards with Wentz throwing 24 yards to Nelson Agholor on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Eagles' lead grew to 28-16.

The Panthers scored with 8:04 remaining on Newton's 1-yard pass to running back Christian McCaffrey.

Newton finished 28 of 52 for 239 yards with one touchdown pass and three interceptions.

Patrick Robinson's interception of a pass that running back Jonathan Stewart dropped gave Philadelphia the ball at the Panthers 17-yard line less than a minute into the second half. Two plays later, tight end Zach Ertz caught a 17-yard touchdown pass. A Carolina penalty on the extra-point kick resulted in the Eagles going for a two-point conversion, with LeGarrette Blount running in for an 18-10 lead.

A 20-yard field goal by Graham Gano less than three minutes later cut the Panthers' deficit to 18-13.

Jake Elliott's 48-yard field goal boosted the lead to 21-13 before Gano's 46-yard boot cut the gap to five points again.

The Panthers lost linebacker Luke Kuechly, a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, in the second quarter. He was placed in the concussion protocol.

Newton ran 16 yards untouched for a touchdown, giving Carolina a 10-3 lead with 10:34 left in the second quarter.

Rasul Douglas' interception of a pass that Newton threw while he was being hit set up the Eagles at the Carolina 12-yard line. It took seven plays -- including a fourth-down conversion -- for Philadelphia to score, with Wentz hitting Ertz on a 1-yard pass play.

Philadelphia outgained the Panthers 123-28 in the first quarter.

The Eagles opened the scoring on Elliott's 50-yard field goal. Gano tied it later in the first quarter with a 39-yarder.

The Eagles drove into Carolina territory on the game's first possession, but were thwarted by Wentz's fumble. It marked only the second game this year Philadelphia didn't score on its opening possession.

NOTES: Eagles RT Halapoulivaati Vaitai drew the start because OT Lane Johnson missed the game after he was placed in the concussion protocol with an injury sustained Sunday against San Francisco. ... Panthers DE Julius Peppers notched a first-quarter sack, becoming the fifth player in NFL history with 150 career sacks. ... Panthers RB Fozzy Whittaker left in the first quarter with an injured right ankle. ... Carolina DT Vernon Butler was activated for the game after he was inactive Sunday at Detroit. ... This was Carolina's lone home contest during a five-game stretch. ... The Panthers visit Chicago on Oct. 22. ... The Eagles won't play again until they host Washington on Oct. 23.