New York Jets vs Carolina Panthers Match Player Stats On Dec 15, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 15, 2013

Panthers 30, Jets 20: Cam Newton threw for 273 yards and a touchdown and host Carolina scored twice off two fourth-quarter turnovers to move into a tie atop the NFC South with New Orleans.

DeAngelo Williams had 168 total yards, including a 72-yard scoring reception, and Captain Munnerlyn returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown as the Panthers (10-4) set up a showdown against visiting New Orleans next week for the division lead. Mike Tolbert scored following a blocked punt and Graham Gano kicked three field goals as Carolina won for the ninth time in 10 games.

Rookie Geno Smith finished 15-of-28 for 167 yards with one TD and one interception for New York (6-8), which fell two games behind Miami for the sixth playoff slot with two to play. Jeff Cumberland had three catches for 50 yards and a touchdown as the Jets lost for the fourth time in five games.

Much of the first half was a field goal battle, but after Nick Folk's 33-yarder tied it at 6-6 with 3:49 left in the second quarter, the Panthers struck 20 seconds later. Newton tossed a short screen pass to Williams, who raced 72 yards down the right sideline for a score and Gano's third field goal with eight seconds left it the half made it 16-6.

The Jets stopped the Panthers on fourth-and-2 early in the third and promptly drove 86 yards in nine plays before defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson plowed in from a yard out to cut it to 16-13. Jason Williams blocked a punt by Ryan Quigley to set up Tolbert's 1-yard scoring run four plays later and Munnerlyn's interception - the fifth pick-six thrown by Smith this season - extended it to 30-13 with 8:17 to play.

GAME NOTEBOOK: DeAngelo Williams' 72-yard scoring catch was the longest of his career. ... Jets LB Calvin Pace registered his career-high ninth sack, surpassing his previous best set in 2009. ... The blocked punt by Jason Williams was the first for Carolina since Greg Hardy had one in September 2010 against the New York Giants.