CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The season appeared to be crumbling before the eyes of the Carolina Panthers with less than three minutes left in Thursday night’s game against New Orleans.
Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly was in the locker room being diagnosed for a concussion. Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil was out with a shoulder injury and backup center Gino Gradkowski wasn’t active because of a knee injury.
The Panthers faced third-and-10 from their own 15 with just under three minutes remaining and clinging to a three-point lead.
They needed something big to happen.
In stepped Cam Newton.