Tuesday 18 December 2018 12:40, UK
New Orleans Saints beat the Carolina Panthers 12-9 in a cagey Monday Night Football affair to take a big step toward locking up the NFC No 1 seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs.
The Saints defense, which has been among the best in the league the last six weeks, held Cam Newton to just 131 yards passing, sacked him four times and forced two turnovers on a night when Drew Brees and the offense couldn't get much going.
Alvin Kamara had 103 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, and Brees had 203 yards passing for the Saints (12-2), who move one-game clear of the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC. The Panthers (6-8), meanwhile, fall further back from the playoff picture with a sixth-straight defeat.
Carolina's only scores came off a trick play in the first quarter, a 50-yard touchdown pass from running back Christian McCaffrey to tight end Chris Manhertz on fourth down, and a fourth-quarter interception return by Donte Jackson on a Saints two-point conversion try following Kamara's TD.
McCaffrey's touchdown pass was his first career pass attempt and it saw him become the first non-QB to throw a TD pass in Panthers history.
The Saints responded with two field goals by Wil Lutz and appeared on the verge of taking the lead before half-time, but James Bradberry intercepted Brees' tipped pass. Carolina's subsequent drive ended when Eli Apple intercepted Newton in the endzone with 10 seconds left before the break.
The third quarter was scoreless, but the game changed when Panthers receiver D.J. Moore fumbled on an inside handoff. The Saints pounced, capping an 84-yard drive with a 16-yard scoring run by Kamara to make it 12-7 early in the fourth. New Orleans went for two, but Brees' toss was intercepted by Jackson, who took it back nearly 100 yards.
At 12-9, a fumble by Tommylee Lewis near the goal line gifted Carolina one last chance to tie the game with just under two minutes remaining, but the Panthers couldn't move the ball and turned it over on downs.
FIRST QUARTER
Saints 0-7 Panthers: Christian McCaffrey 50-yard touchdown pass to Chris Manhertz (Chandler Catanzaro extra point good)
Saints 3-7 Panthers: Will Lutz 46-yard field goal
SECOND QUARTER
Saints 6-7 Panthers: Lutz 24-yard field goal
THIRD QUARTER
FOURTH QUARTER
Saints 12-7 Panthers: Alvin Kamara 16-yard touchdown run (Failed two-point conversion)
Saints 12-9 Panthers: Donte Jackson intercepts Drew Brees pass on two-point conversion attempt and returns football to opposite endzone
